Quantification of Antioxidant Contents in Sweet Pepper as Influenced by Planting Time and Fruit Picking Stage

The present study reports the quantification of changes in the contents of plant pigments and ascorbic acid as influenced by the planting time and fruit picking stages in sweet pepper. The crop was planted on five different dates at 10 days interval in randomized block design under open field conditions in temperate area to quantify the changes which took place in the contents of plant pigments and ascorbic acid in green and red fruits. The results showed that the planting time and fruit picking stage had significant (p ≤ 0.05) influence on plant pigments and ascorbic acid contents in sweet pepper. The last week of May was observed as the optimal planting time when fruits exhibited higher contents of lycopene, β-carotene and ascorbic acid. The red fruit picking stage had significantly higher concentration of these phytonutrients than the green picking stage. In order to pick-up fruits at right stage and time with high plant pigments and ascorbic acid contents, these results would help meet out the increasing demand of sweet pepper quality fruits.