Journal of Plant Disease Sciences
Year : 2013, Volume : 8, Issue : 1
First page : ( 29) Last page : ( 32)
Print ISSN : 0973-7456. Online ISSN : 0976-2388.

Loss of vitamin C and capsaicin content of chilli fruits infected with Colletotrichum capsici, Aspergillus niger and Alternaria alternata

Deka P.C, Das R.*

Baosi Banikanta Kakati College, Nagaon, Barpeta (Assam)

*Corresponding author: dasramesh82@gmail.com

Online published on 25 June, 2014.

Abstract

Chilli fruits are rich plant sources of vitamin C and capsaicin and the quality of which being degraded due to the infection by various fungi in post harvest condition. An experiment was carried out in B.B.K. College campus during the year 2011–12 to study the degradation of vitamin C and capsaicin content of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) fruits infected with Colletotrichum capsici, Aspergillus niger and Alternaria alternata. The increased incubation period up to 14 days the vitamin C and capsaicin content of both healthy and infected chilli fruit tissues were found to decrease gradually. The rate of degradation of vitamin C is more rapid in case of A. niger infected fruits (51.65%) in comparison to C. capsici and A. alternata (50.33% and 46.46% respectively) after 14 days. of pathogenesis. The chilli fruits have lost 51.58%, 46.03% and 39.28% after infection with C. capsici A. niger and A. alternata respectively after 14 days. of pathogenesis and healthy chilli fruits 21.03%. The rapid decline in vitamin C and capsaicin content in the infected tissues may due to the increase respiration rate under pathogenesis and breakdown of the oxidation-reduction potential in the host tissues.

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Keywords

Capsicum annuum, infection, capsaicin, degradation, pathogenesis, Vitamin C.

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