Abstract
The effect of increased nutrient concentration during different fruit development stages on the yield, pungency and PAL enzyme activity in hot chili cv. ‘Super hot’ was studied during August 2009-January 2010. The seedlings were planted in plastic containers containing 20 L of coconut-coir-dust substrate placed inside a plastic-roofed net house and received Resh’s Tropical Dry Summer nutrient solution at a constant concentration (measured by Electrical Conductivity, EC) of 1.2 mS cm during the vegetative stage and 2.4 mS cm during the first week of blooming. Then, they were divided into treatments: Treatment 1 (control), plants continuously received nutrient solution at a constant concentration of 2.4 mS cm until end of harvest, while treatments 2-6 received nutrient solution with a change in concentration from EC 2.4 to 3.6 mS cm at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 weeks after the week of first bloom, respectively. The results showed that the increase in nutrient concentration at different fruit development stages did not significantly influence chili fruit characteristics and yield. However, the oleoresin, capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin and capsaicinoid contents increased significantly when hot chili plants received the nutrient concentration increase at the 1st and 2nd week after first bloom. Phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity in the full-ripening fruits increased significantly when the nutrient solution concentration increase occurred at 1st and 2nd weeks after first bloom. The highest PAL activity of 827.48 mmole mg protein was recorded in full-ripened fruits, when the nutrient concentration increase occurred at the 2nd week after bloom.
Highlights
The effect of increased nutrient concentration during different fruit development stages on the yield, pungency and Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyase (PAL) enzyme activity in hot chili cv
The seedlings were planted in plastic containers containing 20 L of coconut-coir-dust substrate placed inside a plastic-roofed net house and received Resh’s Tropical Dry Summer nutrient solution at a constant concentration of 1.2 mS cm−1 during the vegetative stage and 2.4 mS cm−1 during the first week of blooming
The highest PAL activity of 827.48 mmole mg−1 protein was recorded in full-ripened fruits, when the nutrient concentration increase occurred at the 2nd week after bloom
Summary
The effect of increased nutrient concentration during different fruit development stages on the yield, pungency and PAL enzyme activity in hot chili cv. Protected-environment cultivation such as growing million (Customs, 2013) due to the quality of the plants in a greenhouse has been recognized as a majority of domestic dried chili being lower than that cultivation method to protect a crop from pests and an required by food processing factories (Lertrat, 2007) It unfavorable environment resulting in improved plant lacks pungency and color uniformity and some is growth and yield and a higher quality of the product. Growing hot-chili using a soilless culture technique inside a greenhouse can be an alternative solution to protect chili plants from pests and unfavorable conditions for Thailand; irrigation and fertilization can be optimized through nutrient solution management during plant growth and development to control yield and pungency. The information regarding nutrient management for controlling pungency of hotchili grown in the greenhouse under Thailand environmental conditions is still limited
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