Capsicum Annum Var Research Articles

Wider area validation and economic analysis of adaptable IPM technology in bell pepper (Capsicum annum)

Field experiments were conducted in bell pepper (Capsicum annum var. frutescens L.) during 2007–10 at Daha-Jagir, Karnal, Haryana with a view to study the validation and economic viability of adaptable IPM technology in a farmers’ participatory approach. The IPM technology for bell pepper crop comprising raising healthy nursery using soil solarization and mixing of Trichoderma harzianum (c.f.u. 2 × 109) along with FYM (@ 10 g/ 100 g FYM/m2); seedling dip in Pseudomonas fluorescence, installation of delta traps @ 2/acre, one or two sprays of neem (Neem Baan @ 10 ml/litre) against aphids in early stages, erection of pheromone traps @ 5/ha, application of spinosad 45 SC @ (75 g ai/ha or 0.5 ml/litre) for thrips, collection and destruction of borers and disease affected fruits, five releases of egg parasitoid Trichogramma chilonis based on pheromone monitoring, two sprays of HaNPV 250 LE/ha in evenings with UV protectant, one spray of ecofriendly emmamectin benzoate 5 WDG @ 0.25 g/lit of water, two to three need based sprays of chemical pesticides like indoxacarb 14.5 SP @ 500 g ai/ha or rynaxpyr 18.5 SC @ 3.5 ml /litre of water and carbendazim + mancozeb 75 SP @ 0.2% etc. was very effective in reducing the incidence of pests and minimizing the yield losses. The adoption of IPM technology resulted in reducing the number of chemical sprays to 4–5 from 12–14 in non-IPM fields with higher fruit yields of 14.07–24.35 and 21.63 tonnes/ha in IPM and 12.20, 15.58 and 18.0 tonnes/ha in non-IPM fields and with higher CBR of 1:1.99, 1:3.29 and 1:2.81 in IPM than 1:1.48, 1:1.70 and 1:2.30 in non-IPM.

Effect of Vermicompost on the Growth and Production Of Amashito Pepper, Interactions with Earthworms and Rhizobacteria

Increasing yield is one of the goals in the tropics. Traditional farming is replaced in many cases by agroindustrial production which often leads to environmental pollution due to the marked use of pesticides and fertilizers. In Tabasco, Amashito pepper (Capsicum annum var. glabriusculcum) is cultivated in the traditional way in backyards or cocoa fields with no chemical inputs. The germination of these kind of peppers is difficult to achieve, since wild peppers seeds have a large range of dormancy. Plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) are used as inoculants for biofertilization, phytostimulation and biocontrol. Soil fauna has an important function in regulating rhizosphere microbial processes and therefore significantly affects plant growth. Earthworms produce indirect effects through changes in the environment of the roots or via interactions with organisms that affect root growth and production. Our aim was to study the effects of different fresh organic matter, earthworms (P. corethrurus, oligochaeta) and rhizobacteria (A. brasiliensis) on plant growth, and yield production of amashito pepper (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum). We established a three factorial outdoors mesocosms experiment. We tested the effects of 3 substrates (dry cocoa husks (C), Panicum sp grass-cocoa husks vermicompost (V), cocoa husks with cow manure (CC) (type of germination substrate, factor 1), the presence (E) and absence of P. corethrurus (WE) (earthworm, factor 2) and the absence (WB) or presence (B) of A. brasiliensis (rizobacteria, factor 3). After 173 days, fruit production was significantly more in plants raised in vermicompost. Vermicompost significantly enhanced the highest weight (23.4g), height (26.7 cm) and production of leaves per plant (20.6 leaves per plant). Further studies are required in order to understand the interactions between vermicompost, plants, earthworms and rhizobacteria.

Nutritional changes in powdered red pepper upon in vitro infection of Aspergillus flavus

Quantitative losses in various biochemical constituents like capsaicin, carotenes, ascorbic acid, polyphenols, mineral matter, sugars (soluble and insoluble), protein and fat were estimated after the successful growth of Aspergillus flavus for 30 days on powdered red pepper. The fungal biomass was measured by ergosterol content and Aflatoxin B1 by HPLC. Amongst the various nutritional constituents evaluated for nutritional losses and changes the highest nutritional loss was reported in total carotenoids (88.55%) followed by total sugars (85.5%). The protein content of the infected sample increased from 18.01% to 23%. The nutritional profile of chilli powder (Capsicum annum var. sannam L.) shows highest share of total soluble sugars (32.89%) and fiber content (21.05%), followed by protein (18.01%) and fat (13.32%) making it an ideal solid - substrate for mould growth. At the end of incubation the fungal biomass was 192. 25 mg / 100 gram powder, total plate count 17.5 X 10 4 CFU/g and Aflatoxin B1 content was 30.06 µg / kg.

Nutritional changes in powdered red pepper upon in vitro infection of Aspergillus flavus.

Quantitative losses in various biochemical constituents like capsaicin, carotenes, ascorbic acid, polyphenols, mineral matter, sugars (soluble and insoluble), protein and fat were estimated after the successful growth of Aspergillus flavus for 30 days on powdered red pepper. The fungal biomass was measured by ergosterol content and Aflatoxin B1 by HPLC. Amongst the various nutritional constituents evaluated for nutritional losses and changes the highest nutritional loss was reported in total carotenoids (88.55%) followed by total sugars (85.5%). The protein content of the infected sample increased from 18.01% to 23%. The nutritional profile of chilli powder (Capsicum annum var. sannam L.) shows highest share of total soluble sugars (32.89%) and fiber content (21.05%), followed by protein (18.01%) and fat (13.32%) making it an ideal solid- substrate for mould growth. At the end of incubation the fungal biomass was 192. 25 mg / 100 gram powder, total plate count 17.5 X 10 4 CFU/g and Aflatoxin B1 content was 30.06 μg / kg.

Host preference and suitability of some selected crops for two biotypes of Bemisia tabaci in Ghana

AbstractThe economic importance of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) is mainly due to its wide host range, variable kinds of damage, and great intraspecific variation. The delineation of two African biotypes of this pest has been carried by molecular, ecological, and host‐affiliation approaches, with largely consistent results. However, an understanding of its intricate host–pest interaction is necessary as a basis of its sustainable integrated control. This study investigated the host preference and suitability of cassava and okra biotypes of B. tabaci, based on multiple‐choice landing and oviposition preference assays and stage‐specific survival on eight common whitefly hosts. The cassava biotype significantly preferred cassava, Manihot esculenta, for landing and oviposition, but did not oviposit on okra, Abelmoschus esculentus. The okra biotype preferred okra, oviposited on eggplant, Solanum melongena, tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum, garden egg, Solanum integrifolium, and cowpea, Vigna unguiculata, but did not oviposit on cassava. The okra biotype developed on all hosts except cassava, but only survived marginally on cabbage, Brassica oleracea, and pepper, Capsicum annum var. grosum, while the cassava biotype did not develop on okra, cabbage, or pepper. Thus the observed host acceptance of the two biotypes is wider than earlier reported by host transfer experiments and molecular genetic surveys. Mortality was highest in the first instar nymphal stage, during which total mortality occurred on non‐hosts. Development time was slightly longer on marginal hosts than on the preferred hosts. Cowpea, garden egg, and tomato are additional common hosts of the two biotypes, whose role as reservoir hosts and biotype interbreeding grounds should be investigated further.

Studies on the effects of blanching time, evaporation time, temperature and hydrocolloid on physical properties of chili ( Capsicum annum var kulai) puree

Thermal processing of chili ( Capsicum annum var Kulai) and canning in the form of puree is an alternate process of producing a product with extended shelf-life while retaining its favorable qualities. Red chili was subjected to blanching treatment at different temperatures and times in a steam-jacketed kettle. Test samples were removed, cooled, drained and tested for enzyme activity (peroxidase and lipoxygenase). The model of response surface methodology was introduced to investigate the effects of time, temperature and amount of pectin on the physical properties of chili puree subjected to the evaporation process. Pectin was used as a thickening agent to enhance the viscosity of the puree. A complete inactivation of the enzymes was obtained with the blanching temperature of 100 °C for 6 min. First-order reaction kinetics fitted adequately to predict color loss and pectin was found to improve the viscosity and total soluble solids of the puree.

Expression of amyloid-beta 1-40 and 1-42 peptides in Capsicum annum var. angulosum for oral immunization.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the leading cause of dementia in the elderly population, still remains without an effective treatment. The accumulation and deposition of the amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) in the brain is thought to be a key event in the pathogenesis of AD. Recently, a novel exciting technology has been investigated to combat AD: new immunotherapeutic approaches have been described that are based on vaccination with the Abeta peptide itself, and this has been shown to induce functionally beneficial anti-Abeta antibody responses in different transgenic animal models of AD. Here we report the high level expression of GFP-Abeta1-40 and 1-42 peptides in Capsicum annum var. angulosum (green pepper) using a new tomato mosaic tobamovirus-based hybrid replication vector. After preinoculation of Nicotiana benthamiana plants with the in vitro transcript of the vector, the isolated virions were used to inoculate green pepper, which accumulated the GFPAbeta1-40 or 1-42 fusion proteins to a level of 100 microg/g of leaves 7 days after inoculation. These results make it possible to test whether oral immunization by feeding plant samples could stimulate antibody production against Abeta peptides.

Enzymatic Firming of Processed Red Pepper by Means of Exogenous Pectinesterase

The objective of this investigation was to demonstrate that the firmness of a commercial vegetable product, diced and frozen red pepper (Capsicum annum var. Sendt), could be improved by the use of exogenous pectinesterase in an industrially relevant process. The diced pepper pieces 10 × 10 × 7 mm3 were infused under vacuum with a commercially available pectinesterase. The range of optimal process conditions was: 15–20°C, 45 min infusion time, a 10–25 mM CaCl2 infusion brine, a w/w ratio of pepper fruit to infusion brine of 1.5:1, and an enzyme dosage of 30–60 pectinesterase units (PEU) per kg pepper fruit. The firmness as measured by back extrusion was improved by a factor of two to three. The effect of firming was robust and conserved after freezing and heating in a simulated household cooking process. The firming process seems easily adaptable to industrial conditions and may be applicable to other vegetable and fruit products.

Low-oxygen-induced Poststorage Suppression of Bell Pepper Fruit Respiration and Mitochondrial Oxidative Activity

Bell pepper (Capsicum annum var. Jupiter) fruit were exposed to 1.5% O2 for 1 to 5 days at 20C to examine whether the low-O2-induced poststorage respiratory suppression (PRS) in whole fruit could be due to limitations in mitochondrial oxidative capacity. Mitochondrial oxidative capacity was not affected after storing bell peppers for 1 day in 1.5 % O2. Extending the storage period from 1 to 5 days in 1.5 % 0, resulted in PRS of CO2 production for about 55 hours after transfer to air, and a marked reduction in the oxidative capacity of isolated mitochondria. Mitochondrial activity was suppressed for 10 hours after transfer to air but, within 24 hours, bad recovered to values comparable to those of mitochondria from fruit stored continuously in air. Storing bell peppers in 1.5% O2 for 5 days resulted in a reduction in the respiratory control (RC), while ADP/O ratios were not affected. The reduction was temporary since the RC attained normal activity after returning bell peppers to air. Cyanide-sensitive cytochrome and CN-insensitive pathways were suppressed after storing fruit in 1.5 % O2 for 5 days. After returning fruit from a low-O2 atmosphere to air, the alternative pathway recovered at a greater rate than the cytochrome pathway.

Effect of aluminum and ph on relative yield and plant chemical concentrations of 7 dicotyledonous species grown in solution culture at low ionic strength

Abstract The effects of aluminum (Al) on yield and plant chemical concentrations were determined for 7 species (18 cultivars) of dicotyledons using a low ionic strength solution culture technique. The relationship between relative yield and solution Al activity was determined using polynomial exponential splines, and the Al activity (μM) at which yields were reduced by 50% (A1ry50 were determined. Based on the yields of the plant tops, Arabadopis thaliana, Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato) and Nicotiana plumaginifolia were all sensitive to Al (Alry50 <1). Petunia cultivars (Alry50 mean 3.1, range 2.4–4) and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) (Alry50 mean 6.3, range 4.4–9.4) were intermediate in their tolerance to Al. Lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus) were the most tolerant of the species tested (Alry50 15.6). Pepper (Capsicum annum var annum) was unusual in that it was the only species sensitiveto solution pH. For this species, top and root yields increased with increasing Al rates. In the plant tops, increasing Al i...

Seasonal Variation in the Water Uptake and Leaf Water Potential of Intercropped and Monocropped Chillies

SUMMARYThe seasonal water use patterns and leaf water potential of chillies (Capsicum annum var. annum) grown as a monocrop and as an intercrop between soyabeans (Glycine max) were studied under a weekly and two weekly irrigation regime on a red duplex soil in Northern Victoria, Australia. Irrigation at two weekly intervals resulted in a temporal stratification of water extraction over the growing season, the soyabeans making their maximum demand during the reproductive phase. Senescence of the soyabeans at the R6–R7, growth stage was accompanied by an increase in water uptake by the intercropped chillies. No corresponding increase in water uptake was observed in monocropped chillies irrigated every two weeks or in intercropped or monocropped chillies irrigated weekly. Leaf water potential of the intercropped chillies was, for the most part, greater than that of the corresponding monocrops.

Insecticidal activities of Piper guineense Schum and Thonn, and Capsicum species on the cowpea bruchid, Callosobruchus maculatus F.

Piper guineense Schum and Thonn, mixed with cowpea seeds, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp, was significantly superior (P < 0.05) to the large, red and mild Capsicum annum var connoides (Miller) and the small, red and pungent Capsicum frutescens L. in causing up to 96% mortality to adults of Callosobruchus maculatus F. within 48 hr. When applied as ground pepper, P. guineense was more active insecticidally than when applied as whole fruits. Adult bruchids in contact with P. guineense showed significant reduction (P < 0.05) in the numbers of eggs laid, and in the numbers of F1, offspring that emerged compared with adult bruchids exposed to the same doses of C. annum or C. frutescens respectively. Neither of the peppers reduced the viability of the cowpea seeds or the absorption of water needed to soften the seed testa for decortication before cooking or processing. At a cost price of U.S.A. $0.003 per 1 g of black pepper, and an effective application rate of 1 g black pepper to 20 g cowpea, there is a saving of over $750 by disinfesting a ton of cowpea with black pepper for a storage period of 2–3 months in a metallic drum which costs less than $50.00