Abstract
Secondary metabolites, for example capsaicin, are substances with no known direct function in basic metabolism, but can provide some important adaptive significance in protection against herbivory and/or microbial infection. Capsaicin, responsible for the heat sensation in chile pepper fruit, is only found in the genus Capsicum (chile peppers). Like the accumulation of capsaicinoids, germination of chile pepper seed has been observed to vary among genotypes. To test whether capsaicin could be a contributor to reduced seed germination, two no-heat cultivars, Keystone Resistant Giant and Pimiento L, were treated with capsaicin to determine its effect on germination. Seeds were treated with 0, 500, or 1500ppm capsaicin. Capsaicin treatment resulted not only in reduced but also delayed germination. We determined that capsaicin can decrease chile pepper seed germination, and may be the cause of slow germination in some chile pepper cultivars.
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