Sweet Pepper Cultivars Research Articles

THE EFFECT OF COLORED SHADE NETS ON SWEET BELL PEPPER QUALITY AFTER PROLONGED STORAGE AND SHELF LIFE

ISHS XXVIII International Horticultural Congress on Science and Horticulture for People (IHC2010): International Symposium on Greenhouse 2010 and Soilless Cultivation THE EFFECT OF COLORED SHADE NETS ON SWEET BELL PEPPER QUALITY AFTER PROLONGED STORAGE AND SHELF LIFE

착색단고추 품종에 따른 복숭아혹진딧물의 발육특성 및 섭식행동

To investigate host preferencse of Myzus persicae on 15 sweet pepper cultivars grown in Jeonnam Province, EPG (electrical penetration graph) and life table experiments were carried out in the laboratory. Phloem phase times were significantly longer on Ferrari, Jinju, Debla, and Rapido than Orobell and Thialf. Non-penetration times were conversely observed. Life span, reproduction period, total fecundity, and intrinsic rate of increase () of M. persicae, were higher on Ferrari, Debla, Orange glory, and Jinju than on Purple, GreenAce, Orobell, and Thialf. On the bases of these results, we conclude that M. persicae preferred Ferrari, Jinju, Orange glory, and Debla among the 15 tested sweet pepper varieties. However, we could not show the preference of the aphid for Purple, Orobell, and Thialf.

LOW-PUNGENT SWEET PEPPER SELECTED UNDER CONTINUOUS FLUORESCENT ILLUMINATION

‘Shishito’ (Capsicum annuum L.) is a group of sweet pepper cultivars. Fruits are small, green and non-pungent, but pungent fruits sometimes occur. In our previous study, plants of ‘Shishito’ grew well and bore abundant fruits under continuous fluorescent illumination, however, pungent fruit strongly increased. In this study, mutation was induced and screening for low-pungent variants in M2-M3 was conducted under continuous fluorescent illumination. Seeds of ‘Shishi-Homare’ were treated with a 30 Gy 220 MeV 12C5+ beam. Self-fertilized M2 seeds were harvested from M1 plants individually. First screening was conducted in the field and 126 plants were selected from 762 plants. Second screening was conducted in a growth chamber under continuous fluorescent illumination, in which the concentration of the pungent compound capsaicin in the fruit placenta was determined with HPLC. One plant with the lowest capsaicin concentration was selected and self-pollinated. M3 plants were grown under continuous fluorescent illumination. The capsaicin concentration of M3 plants under continuous fluorescent illumination was lower than that of M2 plants however, plants with high capsaicin level still existed. One plant with the lowest capsaicin concentration was selected and self-pollinated. The capsaicin concentration of M4 plants under continuous fluorescent illumination was much lower than that of wild type ‘Shishi-Homare’; the average concentration of M4 plants was about one sixth of that of the wild type.

Influence of Fruit Ripening Stage and Harvest Period on the Antioxidant Content of Sweet Pepper Cultivars

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fruits are highly appreciated by producers and consumers for their economical and nutritional value. Four different cultivars of coloured peppers in immature and mature stages were harvested throughout the spring and examined for their content of phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid and total antioxidant capacity (TAA) as well as for lipid peroxidation and carbonyl proteins as index of oxidative stress. Ripening and harvest period influenced the antioxidants and the development of oxidative processes in the cultivars differently: lipid peroxidation increased in mature peppers except in one cultivar (Y1075), while no changes in protein oxidation or in TAA were produced, except in Y1075 in which both parameters increased. Each cultivar presented differences in antioxidant compounds depending on the harvest period, but we could recommend May as the optimal if all cultivars have to be harvested at the same time, when levels of ascorbate, phenols and TAA were not decreased, fresh weight and proteins were elevated, and levels of oxidation were not as high as in June (except for Y1075). A previous study of the response of each cultivar to different environmental conditions results essential to establish a good program of selection of cultivars with high quality and productivity.

Low Night Temperature Increases Ovary Size in Sweet Pepper Cultivars

Cool night temperatures have been reported to induce ovary swelling and consequent fruit deformation in bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), resulting in unmarketable fruit. This response is a serious limitation to the success of winter production systems for bell pepper. Limited work has been done with other types of sweet pepper, so it is unknown how universal this response is. Furthermore, most prior work has examined effects on ovary diameter only, and there is limited characterization of other ovary traits in response to cool night temperature. The objectives of the present study were to determine the effects of low night temperature on ovary characteristics in different sweet pepper cultivars and to determine the parts of the ovary that are most affected by these factors. Three types of sweet pepper (bell, long-fruited, and cherry) were exposed to 22/20 or 22/12 °C day:night temperatures and flowers at anthesis were continuously harvested throughout the experiments. Ovary fresh weight (FW), diameter, and length across all types (and cultivars within type) were greater under 22/12 °C compared with 22/20 °C. The increase in ovary FW was the result of increases in both ovary wall and placenta FW. In general, all cultivars exhibited increases in ovary size under 12 °C compared with 20 °C night temperature. Differences in ovary FW resulting from night temperature became more pronounced with time. These results indicate that low night temperature effects on ovary swelling may be a universal response among sweet pepper types. Three to 4 weeks are required for maximum swelling response, suggesting that flower buds must be exposed to low night temperatures within the first week after flower bud initiation, because previous work found that flower bud initiation in bell pepper takes ≈4 weeks. However, the duration of low night temperatures necessary for this response remains unknown.

Studies on the metabolism and toxicology of emerging capsinoids

Introduction: Capsinoids are nonpungent compounds that are found in almost all pungent peppers and are abundant in the sweet pepper cultivar CH-19 Sweet. Since the discovery of capsinoids 13 years ago, various physiological effects of these compounds – especially reduction of visceral fat – have been observed both in rodents and humans. Recently, capsules containing capsinoids have become commercially available and comprehensive studies have been performed on the metabolism and toxicity of capsinoids.Areas covered: This article reviews all the literature from 1998 to date providing details on the nature and physiological effects of capsinoids. In addition to this, the article also looks at their metabolism as well as their acute and chronic toxicity including their genotoxicity and teratology.Expert opinion: Capsinoids are the most promising compounds among all known transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 agonists. The physiological activities of capsinoids are similar to those of capsaicin, the most pungent food component of red pepper, but appear to be much safer to use as a therapeutic compound. That said, there is still a need for further research into the capsinoid mechanism of action before it can be ‘green-lighted’ for therapeutic use.

Molecular genetic analysis of off-type plants identified from normal F1 hybrid cultivars of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

SummaryOff-type plants occasionally appear when growing F1 hybrid cultivars of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). In this study, possible genetic factors responsible for the appearance of off-types were evaluated using two off-type sweet peppers selected out of 120 F1 hybrids. The general morphology of off-type plants showed a stunted stature, narrow leaf shape, and small round-shaped fruits. We hypothesised that these off-type plants might have arisen by inadvertent self-pollination of maternal parental lines, since most sweet pepper F1 hybrids are known to be produced by hand-emasculation. Indeed, none of the sweet pepper cultivars analysed in this study contained male-sterile cytoplasm, confirming that cytoplasmic male-sterility was not used during F1 hybrid seed production. If the off-type plants were derived from self-pollination of maternal lines, the genetic make-up of the off-type plants should be different from that of normal F1 hybrids. However, the RAPD and SSR marker amplification profiles of off-type and normal F1 hybrids showed no polymorphism, whereas one RAPD and five polymorphic SSR markers were identified among five other F1 sweet pepper cultivars, indicating that the genetic make-up of the off-type and normal F1 hybrids were almost identical. Furthermore, two SSR markers that showed heterozygosity in both off-type and normal F1 hybrids, segregated in the self-pollinated progenies of both off-type and normal F1 hybrids, indicating that the off-type plants were not maternal inbred lines. Taken together, these results suggest that the off-type F1 sweet pepper plants could have arisen due to other environmental factors or by infection with an unknown pathogen.

Activity and expression of polygalacturonase vary at different fruit ripening stages of sweet pepper cultivars

Activity and expression of polygalacturonase (PG), a hydrolytic enzyme involved in ultrastructural changes in the pericarp of sweet pepper (Capsicum annaum), were investigated at different ripening stages of the pepper cultivars Mandi and Talanduo. Molecular cloning of CaPG was carried out by constructing a cDNA library from three stages of fruit ripening. Morphological determination, PG assay, RT-PCR, and ultrastructural studies were used to quantify changes in CaPG gene expression in the pericarp from green, color change and fully ripened stages. We found that CaPG gene expression, PG activity and striking changes in the structure of the cell wall occurred with the transition of ripening stages. CaPG gene expression was high (obvious PCR products) in mature and ripened stages of both cultivars; however, the CaPG gene was not expressed in preclimacteric fruits or vegetative tissues. We conclude that developmental regulation of CaPG gene expression is instrumental for sweet pepper fruit ripening; its expression during development leads to dissolution of middle lamella and eventually disruption of the fully ripened cell wall.

Production and Migration of Mycotoxins in Sweet Pepper Analyzed by Multimycotoxin LC-MS/MS

In this work the presence and migration behavior of mycotoxins formed in sweet pepper, inoculated by Fusarium species involved in internal fruit rot, were investigated. Two different commercial sweet pepper cultivars were inoculated with two different Fusarium proliferatum isolates that were sampled from diseased peppers. After 10 days of incubation at 20 °C in a closed container, the lesion caused by the fungal infection was dissected. Around the lesion, up to three concentric rings of pepper fruit tissue with a width of 5 mm were cut out and analyzed using a multimycotoxin LC-MS/MS method. The analyses resulted in the detection of beauvericin and fumonisins B(1), B(2), and B(3). Beauvericin was detected only in the lesions (95%), and the levels varied between 67 and 73800 μg/kg. Fumonisins B(1), B(2), and B(3) were detected in the lesions and in the surrounding tissue, indicating migration of these toxins into healthy parts of the sweet pepper. In the lesion the fumonisin B(1) level varied between 690 and 104000 μg/kg. Even in the outer ring fumonisin B(1) was still present. Mostly it was present at a lower level than in the lesion, with a maximum level of 556 μg/kg. A similar migration behavior was obtained for fumonisins B(2) and B(3), but lower levels were detected in the lesions, up to 10900 and 1287 μg/kg, respectively. The analysis of 20 pepper samples resulted in the detection of beauvericin or alternariol. Seven samples were contaminated, and the level of beauvericin was 124 μg/kg (N = 1), whereas the level of alternariol varied from below the LOQ (6.6 μg/kg) to 101 μg/kg (N = 6).

Discovery of single nucleotide polymorphism in Capsicum and SNP markers for cultivar identification

Molecular markers based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are abundant and evenly distributed in a whole genome enough to distinguish individuals in a population. In recent years, sets of SNP markers have been designed and applied for cultivar identification in various crop species. This paper is the first to report the development of a panel of SNP markers for variety identification in peppers. We used conserved ortholog set II (COSII) markers developed from conserved unigenes between tomato and Arabidopsis to identify SNPs in peppers. We tested 438 COSII primer sets amplified as single PCR products out of a total 600 COSII primer sets. Among the 438 COSII primers, 170 primer sets (38.8%) showed polymorphisms between Capsicum annuum ‘RNaky (RN)’and C. chinense ‘PI 159234 (234)’. In contrast, only 48 primer sets (11.0%) out of 438 primers sets were polymorphic between C. annuum ‘Perennial (PER), and ‘Dempsey (DEMP)’. The average frequency of SNPs plus InDels between C. annuum and C. chinense was 1/189 bp and between C. annuum spp. was 1/948 bp. Primer sets showing SNP between C. annuum PER and DEMP were re-designed to Allele Specific PCR (AS-PCR) primers and we finally selected a total of 40 SNP markers for cultivar identification. As the result, we were able to discriminate 97.5% of the 81 commercial hot cultivars and 100% of the 17 sweet pepper cultivars. We conclude the paper by discussing the use of the SNP marker set for cultivar identification and other applications.

Characterization and Evaluation of some Cultivars of Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annuum)

Field trials were conducted to evaluate seven cultivars (both improved and local races) of sweet pepper in 2006 and 2007 at Evboneka a humid tropical environment in Nigeria to access agronomic characteristics and fruit yield. The study was conducted using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with seven cultivars (‘Tea 14’, ‘California wonder Ps’, ‘California Wonder 300’, ‘N 22’, N 23” and ‘Long yellow sweet’) in three replications. Results from the trial showed that the cultivars produced varying vegetative, growth and yield characters. The ‘Tea 14’ produced the plants with superior vegetative characters and fruit yields (6.21 t ha -1 ) and the lowest being ‘Benin local’ (2.02 t ha -1 ). There were significant differences among all the genotypes tested. Higher fruit yields was obtained in 2006 with an average value of 3.86 t ha -1 and 3.84 t ha -1 obtained in 2007. The comparatively high yield potential (average yield of 3.85 t ha -1 ) recorded in the trial is an indication of a promising sweet pepper production in the humid tropical zone.

Prevention of chilling injury in sweet bell pepper stored at 1.5ºC by heat treatments and individual shrink packaging

Abstract The goal of this three-year study was to develop a quarantine-like treatment for two commercial sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivars, based on physical treatments and packaging materials, and to understand, in part, the chilling resistance-mode-of-action. This research has revealed that individual shrink packaging following prestorage-HWRB treatment, significantly reduced chilling injuries and chilling severity, as shown by very low percentage of CI and a very low CI index, while maintaining a good overall quality (less decay incidence and weight loss) after 21 d at 1.5°C plus 3 d at 20°C (sea transport to USA and Japan from Israel + marketing simulation). The chilling injury reduction is mainly due to a significant water loss reduction by the shrink film, while HWRB treatment contributed mainly to a significant decay reduction, and to some degree of inhibition of chilling development. Cultivar ‘Selika’ was found less susceptible to chilling then cultivar ‘7158’.

Haplotype analysis of CMS-associated DNA markers in sweet peppers

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS)/restorer-of-fertility (Rf) is an economical and efficient system to produce F1 hybrid seeds. Although the CMS/Rf system has been used to produce hybrid seeds of hot peppers, this system has never been used for sweet pepper seed production, presumably due to the inability to select stable restorer lines during the breeding process. To test the feasibility of the CMS/Rf system in sweet pepper breeding, we investigated the distribution of haplotypes of previously developed, CMS-associated markers (orf456, ψ atp6-2, CRF-SCAR, OPP13-CAPS, PR-CAPS, and PR-SNP) in 27 commercial sweet pepper F1 hybrids and 12 breeding lines. When CMS-associated cytoplasmic markers orf456 and ψ atp6-2 were applied, male sterile cytoplasm was not detected in commercial sweet pepper cultivars. When nuclear haplotype markers linked to Rf were applied, all sweet pepper cultivars showed haplotype 3, haplotype 1, and the rf genotype for OPP13-CAPS, PR-CAPS, and CRF-SCAR, respectively. In contrast, we were able to detect male sterile cytoplasm in some breeding lines, and we were also able to detect polymorphisms for PR-CAPS between stable and unstable maintainer lines. The 17T7-SNP also showed polymorphisms between unstable and stable maintainer (or restorer) lines. In conclusion, we expect that it will be possible to develop stable A, B, and C sweet pepper lines using CMS-associated markers and that this will eventually lead to successful implementation of the CMS/Rf system to produce F1 hybrid sweet pepper seeds.

Identification and pathogenicity of Fusarium lactis, causal agent of internal fruit rot of greenhouse sweet pepper in Alberta

Internal fruit rot of sweet pepper was found in Alberta greenhouses in 2003. White fungal mycelium covered the interior of pepper fruits and caused internal fruit rot. Research was undertaken to study the etiology of this new disease. Samples were collected from nine greenhouses in Alberta in 2004. Fungi from symptomatic fruits and stems were isolated, identified, and the pathogenicity of representative isolates was confirmed following Koch's postulates. Identification of Fusarium isolates was based on cultural characteristics as well as DNA analysis of the partial sequences of translation elongation factor 1-α, mitochondrial small subunit ribosomal DNA, and β-tubulin genes. Fifty-six Fusarium isolates were collected from infected pepper fruits and stems from Alberta greenhouses in 2004 and were classified into two principal species: 32 Fusarium lactis and 18 Fusarium solani. Three isolates of Fusarium proliferatum and three isolates of Fusarium oxysporum were also identified. In pathogenicity tests, two isolates of F. lactis predominately caused internal infection of fruits when flowers were inoculated with the fungus, and such infection developed slowly. An isolate of F. solani caused external infection that developed rapidly on fruits. Eleven sweet pepper cultivars were evaluated for their susceptibility to F. lactis, and although all were susceptible, the degree of susceptibility varied. Fusarium lactis was subsequently isolated and identified from infected sweet pepper fruits from greenhouses in Saskatchewan and Ontario in 2006 and 2007.

Yields of Organically Grown Sweet Pepper Cultivars and Lines during the Hot-wet and Cool-dry Season in the Tropics

Organic production is considered by many researchers to be a viable alternative to conventional farming systems. Equivalent yields already have been demonstrated in several studies. The major objective of our study was to collect data on total and marketable fruit yields of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) under organic farming conditions in the tropics. Experiments were conducted during the hot-wet season from 7 Mar. 2007 to 30 July 2007 and during the cool-dry season from 27 Nov. 2007 to 7 Apr. 2008. The six experimental entries included four commercial F1 hybrids and two genotypes bred at AVRDC–The World Vegetable Center (Shanhua, Taiwan). During the hot-wet season, high total (44.6–55.7 t·ha−1) and marketable yields (36.9–45.6 t·ha−1) were achieved under organic farming conditions in the open field similar to yields of conventionally produced sweet pepper in previous field experiments at AVRDC. The total yield of the commercial cultivars Queen Star and Hercules exceeded 50 t·ha−1; however, this was not significantly different compared with the other trial entries. During the cool-dry season, the total (25.4–45.7 t·ha−1) and marketable yields (21.1–37.8 t·ha−1) of all trial entries were reduced, probably because the relatively late planting date in November and relatively low air temperature resulted in reduced fruit set. The commercial cultivars Andalus and Green Bell Improved realized in both seasons a total fruit yield of more than 40.0 t·ha−1, suggesting that these can be grown successfully in hot-wet and cool-dry seasons. The relatively high yields of sweet pepper achieved on-station under tropical climatic conditions may encourage farmers and agricultural stakeholders to consider organic farming approaches as a viable alternative to conventional farming systems.

Yields of Organically Grown Sweet Pepper Cultivars and Lines during the Hot-wet and Cool-dry Season in the Tropics

Organic production is considered by many researchers to be a viable alternative to conventional farming systems. Equivalent yields already have been demonstrated in several studies. The major objective of our study was to collect data on total and marketable fruit yields of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) under organic farming conditions in the tropics. Experiments were conducted during the hot-wet season from 7 Mar. 2007 to 30 July 2007 and during the cool-dry season from 27 Nov. 2007 to 7 Apr. 2008. The six experimental entries included four commercial F1 hybrids and two genotypes bred at AVRDC–The World Vegetable Center (Shanhua, Taiwan). During the hot-wet season, high total (44.6–55.7 t·ha−1) and marketable yields (36.9–45.6 t·ha−1) were achieved under organic farming conditions in the open field similar to yields of conventionally produced sweet pepper in previous field experiments at AVRDC. The total yield of the commercial cultivars Queen Star and Hercules exceeded 50 t·ha−1; however, this was not significantly different compared with the other trial entries. During the cool-dry season, the total (25.4–45.7 t·ha−1) and marketable yields (21.1–37.8 t·ha−1) of all trial entries were reduced, probably because the relatively late planting date in November and relatively low air temperature resulted in reduced fruit set. The commercial cultivars Andalus and Green Bell Improved realized in both seasons a total fruit yield of more than 40.0 t·ha−1, suggesting that these can be grown successfully in hot-wet and cool-dry seasons. The relatively high yields of sweet pepper achieved on-station under tropical climatic conditions may encourage farmers and agricultural stakeholders to consider organic farming approaches as a viable alternative to conventional farming systems.

Efficacy of Muscodor albus for the Control of Phytophthora Blight of Sweet Pepper and Butternut Squash.

The efficacy of Muscodor albus, a potential soil biofumigant, to control root and stem rot by Phytophthora capsici, was examined in a greenhouse study. P. capsici-infested potting mix was treated with three rates of M. albus, mefenoxam (Ridomil Gold EC, Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc.), or nothing. Seedlings of five sweet pepper cultivars and one butternut squash cultivar were transplanted into the treated potting mix. After 7 days, the plants were rated on a scale of 0 (healthy) to 5 (dead). The experiment was conducted three times and there was a significant interaction between pepper cultivar and soil treatment. Treatment with the highest rate of M. albus resulted in a slight but significant reduction in disease severity on Alliance, Aristotle, Paladin, and Revolution pepper compared with the pathogen-only control, while no significant decreases in disease severity were observed with butternut squash or the highly susceptible pepper cv. Red Knight. Of the four less-susceptible pepper cultivars, Paladin (the most tolerant cultivar) was the only one on which M. albus, as applied in this study, reduced disease severity to commercially acceptable levels.

Desempenho agronômico de linhas endogâmicas recombinadas de pimenta em dois sistemas de cultivo

As diversidades de clima e de manejo interferem no desenvolvimento e na produtividade vegetal, uma vez que essas características estão diretamente correlacionadas ao genótipo e ao ambiente de cultivo. Neste estudo, o objetivo foi estimar os efeitos do tipo de manejo sob o desempenho agronômico de 12 linhas endogâmicas recombinadas (F7) de pimenta (Capsicum annuum L.), originadas do cruzamento entre um acesso de pimentão suscetível à mancha-bacteriana (UENF 1421) e um acesso de pimenta resistente (UENF 1381). Dois experimentos foram conduzidos, sendo um deles em condições de campo, em Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ e o outro em sistema orgânico e cultivo protegido, em Seropédica, RJ. Foram avaliados o número total de frutos (NTF), peso total de frutos (PTF), peso médio dos frutos (PMF), comprimento dos frutos (CF), diâmetro dos frutos (DF), relação comprimento/diâmetro do fruto (CF/DF) e a presença de capsaicina (CAPS). Foram realizadas a análise conjunta e o estudo da decomposição da interação genótipo x ambiente (G x A). Estimaram-se os componentes quadráticos genotípico e da interação G x A, o coeficiente de determinação genotípico e de variação genético e do índice de variação. A interação G x A foi significativa para o número, o peso total e médio de frutos, além do diâmetro do fruto e da relação comprimento/diâmetro. Com exceção do comprimento do fruto, o cultivo protegido e orgânico propiciou melhores médias para todas as características estudadas. Os parâmetros estudados mostraram que as causas de variação foram devidas às diferenças genéticas existentes entre as linhas e que o peso total de frutos foi a característica mais influenciada pelo manejo empregado. Entre as linhas pungentes, no cultivo em campo, a linha 2 mostrou alta capacidade produtiva e, para o cultivo protegido, a linha 8 obteve o maior número de frutos. Entre as não-pungentes, a linha 1 foi superior em ambos os ambientes.

Honeybee Pollination Affects Fruit Characteristics of Sweet Pepper Grown Under Net-Houses

In modern agriculture, many high-value cash crops that were formerly cultivated in open fields are now grown in greenhouses and net-houses. While changing the cultivation environment, attention is needed to ensure adequate pollen transfer to the stigma due to absence of wind, isolation from wild pollinators and low viability of reproductive organs due to the extreme temperature under those conditions. This study explores the effects of honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) pollination on various fruit characteristics of several different cultivars of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) under enclosed conditions. In all 16 cultivars examined during two growing seasons, bee pollination increased numbers of seeds per fruit, and had a significantly positive effect on fruit placenta weight, fruit weight, fruit width and fruit-wall thickness. While fruit diameter consistently correlated with bee pollination, fruit-length response alternated between seasons. It may be concluded that although bee pollination is a powerful tool for affecting fruit characteristics in sweet pepper, each cultivar exhibits different levels of response. Cultivars need to be evaluated separately, relative to market demand, when considering the use of bees for pollination.

Yielding and Fruit Quality of Three Sweet Pepper Cultivars from Organic and Conventional Cultivation

Yielding and Fruit Quality of Three Sweet Pepper Cultivars from Organic and Conventional Cultivation The investigations were undertaken to study the effect of cultivar and growing system (organic vs. conventional) on sweet pepper (Capsicum annum L.) yielding, fruit morphology and antioxidants content. Two hybrids Caryca and Roberta and one open pollinated cultivar Mercedes all of the Polish origin were compared during 2007 and 2008 in the field experiments. Conventional production was based on mineral fertilization and chemical plant protection, while organic relied on compost fertilization and stabilized ecosystem with no chemical used according to EU Regulation 2092/91 for organic farming. The results revealed a good response of bell pepper to organic cultivation system. Marketable fruit yield was higher and morphological characters better from organic cultivation. The content of human health beneficial compounds such as acsorbic acid, total flavonoids, soluble phenols and beta- carotene were investigated at the red stage of fruit maturity. Both the cultivar and growing method influenced the level of examined compounds. Pepper fruits obtained from organic cultivation system comprised higher amount of vitamin C, beta-carotene total flavonoids and polyphenols than from the conventional. Roberta F1 revealed the higher content of vitamin C, beta-carotene than Caryca F1 and Mercedes. Moreover cultivar Roberta F1 demonstrated the highest level of polyphenols in both cultivation systems.