PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES

DURING FRUIT RIPENING

OF PEPPER CHILI
INTRODUCTION
Fruit of Capsicum annuum L. (capsicum or pepper) are one of the major soucers of red food colourant and pungency for spice
production. In the spice production industry, fruit are mechanically harvested at the different ripeness stages and fruit colour
needs to be synchronised before being processed. However, even though capsicum ripens normally on the plant it often fails to
ripen fully and turn red once harvested at the green stage. Fruit can be divided two groups : climacteric and non-climacteric,
based on their respiratory behaviour during ripening (Biale and Young, 1981). Climacteric fruit show a sharp increase in respira-
tion associated with significant changes in composition, colour and texture of fruit. Ripening an important phase of fruit growth
and senescence includes many irreversible event that change fruit texture, composite, flavour and colour so that fruit become ac-
ceptable and desirable for consumption. A dramatic change in respiration, ethylene (C2H4) production, colour, texture and flavour
is observed during ripening of climacteric fruit while a gradual change is characterised in non-climacteric fruit (Biles, 1993)

RESULT
DISCUSSION

1. At the early stages of ripening (from 34 to 47 DAA), C2H4

concentration was at an undetectable level in all fruit from
“Papri Queen” regardless of ripening status or harvest date
(Table 1). When red colour started to appear on the skin of
fruit on the plant, the C2H4 concentration significantly in-
creased to a detectable level. Although there was an insignif-
icant drop at 59 DAA, C2H4 concentration stayed mostly un-
changed throughout ripening.
2. For A, when fruit are ripened on the plant, the ripening signal
Table 1 : Internal ethylene concentration of fruit from “ Papri Queen” during rip-
sent by the mother plant activates some physiological/
ening were left to ripen on the plant or were harvested at different colour stag-
biological process (A1) and some ripening-related factors
es (LG-DG-B) and ripened at room temperature.
(2A) which in turn active other process during the later phase
of ripening (3A). Fruit ripe normally as a result of these phys-
iological and biochemical changes(4A).
3. For B, when fruit are harvested at the breaker stage, the
physiological/biochemical process and ripening-related fac-
tor which have been actived during the previous stage help
fruit to ripen normally (3B and 4B)
4. For C, when fruit are harvested at the light green stage,
there is no ripening signal. Physiological/biochemical chang-
es, therefore are not fully activated. Similarly,ripening-related
factor are not actived and cannot induce changes at the later
phase of ripening (3C). Fruit fail to ripen as a result (4C)
5. For D, when C2H4 is supplied to light green-harvested fruit,
C2H4 can active some of the physiological/biochemical pro-
cess (2D) and the ripening-related factors (1D) which in turn
activate other process at the some processes that C2H4
canot induce (5D). As a result, treated fruit developed normal
red colour but other behaviour do not substantially change
(4D)

Figure 2 : Proposed ripening behaviour of capsicum fruit on and off the plant
and the effect of ethylene.
CONCLUSION
From the resuts of this study, a proposed model of ripening behaviour of capsi-
cum fruit and the posible effect C2H4 hass been developed. When fruit are rip-
ened on the plant, a ripening signal sent by mother plant actives physiological/
biochemical processes such as sugar accumulation, respiration and chlorophyll
degradation. As a result, breaker-harvested fruit can ripen normally as fruit on the
plant.
PREPARE BY:
NOOR SYAZWAN BIN NASIR 2019508029 (M3AT222 2A)
PREPARE TO:
DR. SITI MASLIZAH ABDUL RAHMAN
REFERENCES
 Biale, J.B. and Young, R.P. (1981) Respiration and Ripen-
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M. J. C., Friend, J.) pp.5-275. (Academic Press : London
 Biles, C.L., Wall, M.M., Blackstone, K. (1993) Morphologi-
cal and Physiological Changes during Maturation of New
Mexican Type Peppers. Journal of the American Society for
Horticultural Science 118, 476-480.
 Burg, S.B. (1962) The Physiology of Ethylene Formation.
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 Cantliffe, D.J. and Goodwin, P. (1975) Red Colour En-
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 Rhodes, M.J.C (1980) The Maturation and Ripening of
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