Changes on the contents of ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol and carotenoid in the developing pepper [Capsicum annuum] fruits, and those varietal differences

The sweet pepper fruit which is mature and colored by carotenoid pigment have been used recently in this country. However there is little information for the nutritional value of the fruits. This investigation was conducted to analyze the changes of ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol and carotenoid in the developing pepper fruits at 4, 7 and 10 weeks after flowering on eighteen cultivars. The results obtained can be summarized as follows. 1) the ascorbic acid content increases during fruit development in almost cultivars tested. The contents in "Shishito" and "Fushimi amanaga" fruits are higher at 4 weeks after flowering. The fruits of these cultivars are high percentage of dry matter and grow rapidly, compared with other cultivars. 2) The alpha-tocopherol content increases gradually during fruit development and rapidly increases from 7 weeks after flowering in the all cultivars tested. The contents in "Hirosaki Zairai", "Fushimi amanaga" and "Sapporo Wase" are higher, whereas remarkably low in "Yellow Sweet Long" and "Sweet Banana" at 10 weeks after flowering. 3) The carotenoid content increases gradually during fruit development, and rapidly increases from 7 weeks to 10 weeks after flowering in all cultivars tested. The contents in "Sapporo Wase", "Fushimi Amanaga" and "Yatsubusa" are higher, and remarkably low in "Golden Bell" and "California Wonder". 4) There are high positive correlation between ascorbic acid content and alpha-tocopherol content at 10 weeks after flowering, and also between chlorophyll content at 4 weeks after flowering and ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol contents at 10 weeks after flowering. These results provide a useful information for nutritional value of mature sweet pepper fruit, and for breeding of high vitamin content cultivar in the fruit