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BREEDING FOR EXTRACTABLE COLOUR AND PUNGENCY IN CAPSICUM -A

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Veg. Sci 35(1): 1-9 (2008)

BREEDING FOR EXTRACTABLE COLOUR AND PUNGENCY IN CAPSICUM - A

REVIEW
D. PRASATH* AND V. PONNUSWAMI

Horticulture College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu .Agricu/tural University, Coimbatnre - 647 003.

* Indian Institute of Spices Research, P. B. No. 7701, lI1arikunllu Post, Caticllt, Kerala - 673 012 .

Summary
High yielding varietiC's developed by plant brecdC'rs has resulted ill green revolution, caused self sufiicicncy in food production.
As the \vorld market develops mort-:> 10wards healthy cdting Jnd naturL'l1 products, the quality of the raw malerial from
agriculture beconws more criticaL The indiscriminatp use of synthetic colours for the food colouring has several harmful
effects. This necessitated our focus towards natural colours for food colouring, in general dnd development of high colour
eh i II i variet it'S for extraction of pL1prika oleore,,1 n, in partl cu la r. Capsicum breed Ing for qual ity has evolved through pure Ii I1C
.)election of local varietlcs to h,:brid devc)opment. Thl" review highlights achlpvements in breeding for high extractablE' colour
and pungency L1nd brccding strategies. The .)cope of the dlscu~.)ioll add resscs colour and pungency pri nci pies, genetic re50Uln~\
diverSity, specie::. compa1ibility, v,nlcty dnd hybrid development and biotechnological <)pplDaches.

Introduction with low. medium or high pungency is also exportpd

The genus Capsicum is indigenous to the Western
Hemisphere. Christopher Columbus found Capsicum
plants in the New World and initi"lly it was confused
with black pepper. Capsicums Wt're consumed by the
Indians as far back as 7000 B.C and it is believed that
plants were initially taken to Europe and from there
they spread to Asia and I\frica within 150 years At
present it is widely accepted that the genus Capsicum,
consists of approximately 25 wild and five cultivated
species. Among the five cultivated species, C allnUWTI
is the most commonly cultivated for pungent and non­
pungent fruits. The groups of spires belonging to the
genus Capsicum are bell pepper, paprika, chilli and
red pepper. All the five cultivated species of Capsicum
are rep,,'sented by genotypes with pungent or non­
pungent fruits. Hence assigning a given genotype 10 a
specific cultivated species bas/'d on fruit size, shape
and pungency is difficult. Paprika is the ground product
from the mild pungent or non-pungent fruited varieties
of Capsicum, but in international trait paprika always
refers to nOll-pungent fruits or its powder or oleor'''in
extracts from such fruits (Bosland and Votava, 2000).
Hence besides unique place in the world diet in its
ripe dried form (spice) as well as green fruits
(vegetable), chilli is also used as an essential
condiment in foods for natural red colour. India is rich
In many Capsicum varieties with different quality
attributes and is the leading consumer and exporter of
chill i. Besides dry chill i and powder, oleoresi n of chi! Ii
in large quantities. Chilli colourant, which imparts
appe"ling colour, aesthetic flavour and aroma, has
many end uses in vclrious food, pharmaceutical and
cosmetic preparations. Dried p,1iJrika powder and
paprika oleoresin are the n,1tural colour sources
exempt from certification in United States of America
and they can be used directly (Marmion, 1')791.
Colour compounds
There are different v,lrieties, torms and uses of
Capsicum (Smith et .11.,1987 and Bosland, 1992). The
Hungarian word for plants in the genus Capsicum IS
paprika. Thus Hungarian paprika may be of pungent
or non-pungpnt depending on the cultivar (Somos,
1984). The quality of paprika is based on visual and
extractable rpd colour, pungency level and to a lesser
degr<'e, nutrition. Intell1ational traders use the term
"paprika" for non-pungent, red Capsicum powder
1B0sland, 1993). The colour val UP is the principal
criterion for assessing the quality of paprika. The
pigment content ranged from 0.1 to 0.8 ,wr cent. The
extractable colour value is measured by a
spectrophotometric process, usually expresspd in terms
of ASTA colour value (American Spice Trade
Association) Common extractable colour values
prpsent in the industry are 85. 100,120 and 150 (Anu
and Peter, 2000).
It is reported that approximately 20 carotpllOids
contribute to the colour of Capsicum powder
2 PRASATH AND PONNUSWAMI
Carolenoid compounds are yellow to red pigments
composed of isoprerJP units a.nd arE> normally f<1t­
soluble colours (Bunnell dnd Bauernfeind, 1962). The
keto-carotenoids, capsanlhin, capsorubin and
cryptocapsin are unique Capsicum carolenoids. The
major red colour develops from capsanthin and
cilpsulubin, while the yellow orange colour is irom
bela-carotene and violaxanthin. Capsanthin, the major
carotenoid of ripe fruits, contribute lip to 60 per cent
of the total carotenoids. Capsanthin and capsorubin
contents increase proportionately with advanced stages
of ripeness, with capsanthin being the more stable of
the two (Kanner et a/., 19771. The amount of
carotenoids in fruit tissues at harvest depends on
cultivar, maturity stage and crop growing conditions
(Reeves, I 987).
Pungency
Pungency is defined as d "sharp, piercing, stinging,
biting or penetrating quality" or "power 10 excite or
stimulate" (Bosland, 1995). Pungency in chilli is due
to chemical compounds known as cap~diclnoid~,
which are alkaloid compounds found only in the plant
genus, Capsicum. The "ature of the pungency has
further been established a:o, a mixture uf ':icven
homologous branched-chain alkyl vanillyamides
(Hoiiman el al., 19831. CJpsa'Cin, also knowll ,15 11­
vanillyl-8-methyl-6-(eJ-noneamide, is the most pungent
of this group. It is spdfillgly soluble ill water l)ut highly
soluble in fats, oils ami alcohol.
The other compounds of the capsaicilloid groups art'
Di hyd rocapsa i ci n, Nord i hyd roc apsa i c i n,
Homocapsaicin and Homodlhydrocapsaicin. The
SCOVille organoleptic test is a rdined, systematic
approach to measure the pungency level. It was tlw
first Idboratory test repolted and used to measure the
pungency in chillies. One 'Scoville Heat Unit'
correspond' to "hout fiftGen parts per million (ppm)
of the capsaicin. The pure capsaicin has the maximum
!possible Scoville raling of 15 million units (Scoville,
\ 1912). BUI nowadays the moslcommon and reliable
method to estimate pungency is by high performance
I
liquid chromatography (HI'LC)
I Mode of action of the pungency
(The capsaiCinoids are not sensed by the taste buds.
Heat sensation from the capsaicinolch rf'''.ulto:; because
lof Irritation of pain receptors. Even at dilutions down
Ito one part per sixteen million sensation of warmth
I
Gcrallrll;('fallylt.ljpho~pha[c fCG or)
I'h~
• to"u"
•
I,ycollene
l.t1tcin
I ..
YI
AnlhlTa\'Jurhin .... CaJl~:lll[hln
Violnanlhin ----. ("a,,~oruhil1
can be detected. Capsaicinoids release a chemical
messenger, substance P that signals the brain aboul
pain. Substanu, P causes the nervous system to
telegraph a signa: to the brain to flood the nerve endings
with endorphins, which die the body's ndtural pain
ki Ilers. The release oi endorph ins at Iwrve ('ndillg gives
thp body d c;pnse of p\(~~lSlHP. C~lpsdicinoi(b dre
generally not destroyed intlw mouth. The body masks
their prGsence (BoslelnrJ,1993J.
Capsaicin and dihydrocdpsaicin togethel mak(O up 80­
90 per cent of the capsaicinoids found in hot peppers.
In Capsicum annUL/in species, the total Cdpsdicinoid
content ranges frolll D.1 to 1D per cent and th,>
capsaicin to dihydrocdpsaicin ratio Is about I: 1. III
Capsiculll frulesn'llS, llw total luntent of thesp
compounds ranges frOlll 0.4 to1.0 per cent with the
ratio around 2: 1. Govind,lldjan et a/. (19871 qaled
th;'It in the Cdse of Capsicurn drJnuum, the ratio varif'd
irom 0.64 to 1.94.
Biosynthesis of capsaicin
Capsicurn sppcie~ synthesize and accurnuldte cdpsaicin
specifically in capsaiCinold secreting organs localized
in the placenta and the intercellular septum of fruits
(Oht~l., 1962). Accumulation of C:jJp~d(cill occurs ovpr
a relatively short p?riod during the latter stages oi iruit
development Ilwai pi ai, 1979)
The capsaicinoids ,1[e produced in glands on tlw
placenta of the fruit. While seeds elrc not the source of
pungency, Ihey occasionally absorb caps,liein because
of their proximity to the placenta. No other pl,lnt part
produces capsaiCinoids (Bosland, 1995). The pathway
[Gading to the capsaicinoids has two distinct ,lfn15,
 EXTRACTABLE COLOUR AND PUNGENCY IN CAPSICUM 3

one of which contributes the fatty acid moiety Jnd the Capsaicinoid bios~nth(''Sis

other the aromatic component (Bennett and Kirby,

1968; Leete and Louden, 19681. The first part of the Phenylalanine
reaction sequence comprising the aromatic pathwJy +
is shared with other pathway of general Cinnamir acid
phenylpropJnoid metabolism, which is common to + V.llinl'
all higher plants. This leads to the formation of a wide p - coumaric acid
range of phenolic compounds, incl ud ing ci nnamates, + +
CnlTric acid Alpha kctoiso'\alcralc
benzoates, flavanoids, coumarins, tannins, cell wall
phenolics and [ignin-like substallces (Fry, 1984). + +
Fcrulic acid isohut:,"ryl CoA
However, the later p,lrt of the reaction sequence from +
ferulic acid through vanillin and vani[lyl'1Illine to
+ H-meth~ 1-6-n()n(,I1()~ I Co \
\'~lnillill
capsaicin is found only in fruits of Capsiculn frutescens + +
R-ll1cthylnonallo~ I CoA
synthesising capsJicinnids. Vanill) lilmine

The fraction of pungency [evel in the fruit was studied

by mdny workers such dS twai c't a/. (19791, Suzuki c:t
a/. (1980) and Garciglia and Alejo (19901 The whole
chilli consists of 40 per cent pericarp containing an
inner sheath known as dissepiment, 56 per cpnt seeds
and 4 per cent stalks. The pericdrp contdins almost all
of the pungpncy, wherpas tllP ch iII i seeds conteli n on Iy
traces of pungency with a CdpS<licin content of 0.005
per cent. The pungency of IllP pericelrp is mostly
concentrated in Ihe dissepill1pnl. The CelpSelicin con lent
() i hye! roc;Jpsa kin
capsaicin
of chilli oleoresin rJnged from 2.5 to :1 per cpnl.
Correspondingly, the capsdicin COlltent uf pericarp
oleoresin varies from 4.5 to 5.5 per cenl. Also, the
yield of oleoresin is vdliable from 6.5 to 10 per cenl
(Nelrayanan "t a/., 1979).

Ranking ofvvorld CdpsicUlrJ bd ... ed 011 the pungc'Jlcy lc'v(,1 (Anon, 2003; AIlOIl, 200Scl; KUTllLll' ct al., 2006)

Scuville Hedt Units Pod type Species Name

0 Bell, Byddgi C annuurn Bell, Byclagi bdel;
1000 ;\l1cl1o C c1llllllUm tv~uIJ\o
4,000 Sorr,ll1o C dll 11 LI urn Serrdlw
5,000 Now Mrxicclll C ,1IlIlUUm SdmJid
B,OOO Cayenne C. dllIJUUIJ] CcWClllW
17,000 Ajl C bJ.ccatulll Aji EscJbeecbc
21,000 Hungclriall C JllllUUrn Scllltd Fe Crdnde
22,000 Jalapeno C JllflUUrn ,\'1itIJ
23,000 Cayenne C JllflUUrn Long-Slim Cayenne
25,000 Jalapeno C ;:lIlIJUUrn Jalapeno M
30,000 Ellacbipllr C. dll/)UUrn Ellacbipllr Sanne"n
36,000 Hindpur C JnlluutrJ Hindpur 57
60,000 Asidll C. dllfluurn Thai Hot, jWdld
70,000 Tepill C dlll1UlIl71 Cbiltepill
75600 Kanthclri C JllllUUm Kdnthdri VVhite
88,350 Tab<l.,co C frutcsccns Bird eye cbilll
120,000 Tabc1sco C frutcscens TdlJJSCO
150,000 Haballero C. c!linense Red Hcll1anprD
210,000 HaballC'ro C dww IlSf' Ordllgc HdbdlWro
455,000 C. Chll1CIlSr Naga !olokia
85.1,000" C. i.lIllluum Tezpur
I'Ritesh Mathur ot a/., 2000)
4 PRASATH AND PONNUSWAMI
Iwai et a/. (1979) examined the fluctuation of pungent
principles of hot pepper fruits of Capsicum aonuwn
var. annuum cv. Karaystzubusta at different growth
stages after flowering. Capsaicinoid was detected 20
days afterflowering, which reached maximal level at
around 40 days after flowering and then decreased
gradually. Capsaicin was always the major
component, occupying approximately 60 per cent of
the capsaicinoids with a capsaicin: dihydrocapsaicin
ratio of 1.36:1.71.
Enzymes involved in the capsaicin metabolism
Phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAl) is the enzyme that
catalyses the first step in the pathway ,,,ing L­
phenylalanie as the substrate and rendering cinnamic
acid, which is subsequently converted into r­
coumaric, caffeic, and ferulic acids by the action of
cinnamic acid - 4 - hydroxylase (CA 4 H), r-coumaric
acid - 3 - hydroxylase (CA,H), and caffeic acid -0­
methyl transferase (CAOMT) respectively. The enzymes
that participate in the transformation of ferulic acid
into vanillin and vanillylamine are unknown. Finally,
the enzymatic condensation of vanillylamine and 8­
methyl - 6 - nonenoic acid is carried out by
'capsaicinoid synthetase (CS)' (FuJiwake c( ,1/., 1980).
Fujiwake et al. (1982) determined that the biosynthetic
site of capsaicinoids is in the placenta of the fruit and
produced by the cinn,'mic acid pathway. Iwai ct a/.
(1979) suggested that capsaicinoids production
incredse with maturity until a maximum and then
decreased by rapid turnover and degradation of upto
60 per cent. In general, the fruit tissue showed a low
activity of PAL, C\H and CS during the period from
o to 22 days alter flowering and a peak of activity for
all the enzymes at the time of maximum growth in
length of the fruit (Alejo and Peralta., 1993)
FUJiwake et a/. (1982) observed that the capsaicinoids
progressively accumulated during the development of
the fruit, reached maximum of 120 mg/g in field grown
after 45-50 days after fruit set dnd then started to
decrease gradually. The caps,licinoids started to
accumulate just before the increase in length ceased
(between day 20 and 35) and active accumulation took
place OVl'r a 15 day period (day 25 to 40) with an
average increase of 333 mg day" per fruit. After day
40, the level of capsaicinoids per fruit remained
virtually constant (Sukrasno and Yeoman, 1993).
Pepper peroxidase isoenzyme B6, is capable of
oxidizing capsaicin and the phenolic precursors of
capsaicin, with caffeic acid and ferulic acid being the
b,'st substrates among them and the basic peroxidase
isoenzyme B6 is also located in cell walls (Bernal et
ai, 1993). Bernel et al. (1995) suggested that this
isoenzyme may be involved in the insolublisation of
phenylprop,moids precursors. These results support
the biochemical evidence which poillts to the existence
of an oxidative competitive sink for phenylpropanoid
intermediates of capsaicin biosynthesis, which
probably competes with cap sal< in itself in the cell wall
of Capsicum anlll/l/m.
Genetic diversity
Consideration and assessment of genetic variability
existing in a population is the basic reql/irement for
(lny effective crop improvempnt programlllE'.
Introgression of different desir<lble traits spread ill the
diverse genotypes into single genotype is desirable for
any crop. The diversity for pungency ,md colour value
of the Indian chillies has been studied by different
research workers and are summarized in the following
tables.
Genetic resources and conservation
The International Pldnt Genetic Resources Institute
(IPGRI, 1983) has mad" dforts to organize pl'lIlt
explorations and both working and base collections
of Capsicum genetic resources. In 1986, the Asian
Vegetable Research and Development Center
(,....VRDC) was invited to mainta'" a b,lCkup of global
Capsicum collections (Poulos, 1994). In India, til"
systematic collection, charMterization and
conservation of Capsicum germplasm for qUdl ity were
undertaken by both by Indian Council of Agricultural
Research (Indian Vegetable Research Institute,
Varandsi; Indi'ln Institute of Spices Research, Cdlicl/t;
Indian Agriculture Research Institute, Regional Station,
Katrain and Inelidn Institute of Horticulture Research,
Bangalore) and Sate Agricultural Universities
(University of Agricultural Research, Dharwad ,'nd
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore).
A prospect for the future is to enhance germ plasm pool
development with other domesticated species of
Capsicum, particularly frolll Me'ico, Central and
South America and parts of Asia and Africa wher"
species in addition to C. annUl/rrJ are cultivated.
 EXTRACTABLE COLOUR AND PUNGENCY IN CAPSICUM 5

Species compatibility Variation of capsaicin content in Indian c.hilli cultivar)

The species complex concept expounded by No. of Rdnge of capsaicin Reference

Pickersgill et al. (1988), Eshbaugh (1980) and Mcleod accessions content (<l/o) among
studied genotypes
c( al (1982) sets the framework for relatively successful
crosses with in e. annuum group (e. annuum, e. 4 0.0075 - 0.D800 Ananthasamy ('( ,11.
(1960)
chinense and e. (rulcsccns) the e. baccatum group
20 0.3300 - 0.4900 Sooch et ,11. (1977)
14 0.1200 - 0.5300 Sankarikutty et ,11.
Colour value of different Indicln chillies under different (1978)
locations (Anon, 200.1) Bajaj ct ,1/. (1980)
24 01500-0.9250
Chilli Location ASTA Capsaicin 7 0.0030 - 0.0039 Maurya et ,1/. (1984)
types value (of,,) 47 0.0130-0.1990 Teotia and Raina
-':'"'~-----=-----------_"::':':'----
Guntur Guntur, Warangal 32.11 0.226 (1987)
Sannam and Khammam, 73 0.0580 - 1.8100 Usha Rani (1997)
district" of Andhra 29 0.4390 - 0.5090 AnandanaYilki
Pradesh (1997)
Tomato Warangal, 125.26 0.17 20 0.6600 - 0.7800 Aloni (1999)
Chilli Khammam, East Jnd
40 0.5110 - 0.8750 Sdthiyamurthy ct al.
West Godavari
(2001)
districts of Andhra
59 03300 ­ 0.7000 Singh ct ,1/. (2003)
Prddesh
Birds Eye Mizoram and some 41.7 0..189 e. annuum and e. chinensc had high val ues or
Chilli locations of Manipur capsaicin, colour and oleoresin besides yield per plant
Byadagi Hubli district of 156.9 Negligible (Pradeepkumar ct al. 1993).
(Kaddi) K<HnJtclka
Ramnad Ran1nad district of 32.95 0.166 Breeding methods
Mundu Tamilnadu Variety development
Traditionally, Capsicum breeding h,lS been restricted
Variabil ity in colour value of different genotypes
to pure line and pedigree selection, and back crosoing
No. of Range of colour value Reference has been an essential method for introgression of gene5,
accessions (ASIA units) and by interspecific crosses. Two local types of chill ies
ev~J1u<ltt:J viz., Bydagi Dabbi and Kaddi and Tomato Chilli
24 22.30 ­ 118.63 IJ".I'U(I al. (1980) constitute the major source of raw material for paprika
II 90.00 ­ 13(d6 Narayanankurtyet type oleoresin in India (Mathew, 2002). Joshi e( al.,
al. (1992) (1993) identified promising lines Viz, Kt-PI-19, Kt-PI­
40 70.30 ­ 268.30 Anu cI (II. (2002) 18 and Kt-PI-8 with high yield and colollr value by
36 ."607 - 187.70 Gadal '" al. (20m) rcmploying single seed descent method at Katrain,
59 1').9:' - 18000 Singh clal. (:'0031 India. A few selections were made from bydage chillies
27 12.R:' ­ 208.56 Pr","th (200.") at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research and
the selection was released as 'Arka Abir'.
Ie. baccatum var pendulum, C. baccatul7l var All the condiment paprika cultivars grown in Hungary
baccalul7l, e. praetermissum) and the e. pubescem belong to CapsIcum annuum L. covar. longu/ll by
group Ie. pubescens. e. exirnium, e. cardenasii) and botanical classiflc"tion. There are two exceptions
some between taxon groups or to other species such (Kalocasi A and M) which are cherry types and
as e. chacoense or e. tovarii. Until recently chilli classified under C. annuum covar. cerasiforllle.
qoality improvement in India was restricted within the Regarding growth habit, the cultivars classified as
species C. annuum only. e. chinense and e. (rutescens continuous (Szegedi), semi determinate (Kalocasi 801)
are notable for biennial or perennial habit and for and determinate (Kalocasi D 601) (Somogyi el al.,
highly pungent and deep red fro its. Hybrids between 2003).
6 PRASATH AND PONNUSWAMI
Heterosis for pungency and colour value
Although Capsicum annuum tolerate inbreeding,
various workers have dernonstrated considerable
extent of heterosis for pungency and colour val ue.
Deshpande (1933) recorded less pungency in hybrids
than that of their parents. Absence of heterosis for thiS
pungency was ob,erved by Sharrna and Saini (1977).
Later, pOSitive heterosis were reported by (Sekar, 1984;
Anandanayaki 1997; Tanki, 1999; Hernavathy, 2000;
Do,hi and Shukla, 2000 and Sathiyarnurthy, 2002),
averaging between 8.84 and 98.08 per cent. Prasath
(2005) reported that the hPlerosis for extr<lCtable colour,
which ranged frorn -47.84 to 32.11 per cent over
better p,lIent. The variety, KDC - \, a hybrid derivative
of cross between By,ldagi and C. frutescens was
released from LIAS, Dharwad, Karnataka. It bears semi­
wrinkled red fruits with high colour and low pungency.
Gene action
It has long been known that single dorninant gene, C,
controls the presence or absence of pungency in the
fruits (Blum et al., 20021. However, in the pungent
types, the degree of pungency is quantitatively
inherited and highly influenced by environment
(Zewdie and Bosland, 2000). Studi"s conducted so
far have indicated that maturPd red colour is domin,'nt
over yellow colour and is controlled by a single gene
(Y) and later it was reported that colour compounds
(carotenoids) is under the control of four different genes
(y, c" c l and c') with ppistatic interaction (Hurtado­
Hernandez and Smith,1985); Shifriss and Pilov,ky ,
1992). Popov sky and Paran (2000) reported mature
fruit co!our is under influence of three independpnt
pair of genes (eI, c2 and Y).Th,' presence of dominant
alleles at these three loci results in red mature frUits,
while recessive al[eles give white mature fruits.
Biotechnological approaches
The growth of molecular biology and instrumentation
paved th" way for the I,ltest breeding approach which
is easy and quick. This also proved to be very important
approach for quality brpeding at the present and future
conditions. Genes coding for enzymes in capsaicinoid
biosynthesis pathway have been isolated (Curry ei al.
1999; Kim <'t a/. 2001 and Aluru ei al 20(3). A study
of placental transcript [evels for the suite of structural
genes thought to be involved in capsaicin biosynthesis
demonstrated a generdll correlation between transcript
level and the degree of pungency, consistent with
coordinate regulation (Curry ei al., 19991 QTL interval
analysis for individual and total capsaiclnoid COlltent
identified a major QTL, termed cap, which explained
34 - 38 per cent of the phenotypic variation for this
trait in two growing environments (Blum ei al. 2(03).
The molecular linkage map of C locus has been
prepared and a pungency ,,'Iated gene has been found
to be located on chromosome 2. Based on sequences
of caspsaicinoid synth,lSe (CS), sequence
characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers have
been developed and their usefulness in mrly detection
of pungent or non-pungent genotypes have been ,1[SO
demonstrated (Lee E't al., 2005).
The absence 01 capsanthin and capsorubin in yellow
fruits correlates with the lack of expres"on of CCS
(capsan\hin-capsorubin synthase) enzyme in yellow
truits (Bouvier pi a/., 1994; Houln" et a/., 1994). Co­
dominant DNA markers for the identification of red
and yellow-fruited genotypes at seedling stage hdve
been developed (Popovsky and Paran, 2000).
Metabolic engineering of ClpsiculJl, with r"gard to
enhanced cap::'dicin or carotenoid pdthway gpne has
been dernonslTdted in several systerns, inclucJing rice
(Ye ei al., 20(0). However, there is a need to get ,\
high pigment and low pungency product from
Capsicum, which will be of valup for
pharamaceuticLlls, consumer purposps and as a food
co'lourant. Attempts to get both a placenta-sill'ciflc
expression of caps,\icinoids and a fruit wall Si,,'cific
expression of carotc'noids is also needed. Such
developmellts need to be completed for dised'"
resistance, which would result in till' overall
improvement of the ClpsiculTI lor pre and post h,lIvest
applications for augmt'nting qualiLJtive and
quantitative output of the products from Capsicum.
Conclusion
Achievements in Capsicum breeding havl' culmilldted
in the release of specialized rnarket types alld the
advent of hybrid varieties. Ldnd races and facultative
self poll inatpd vMieties also conti nue to oce upy mdlor
production areas in developing countries. The recent
discovery of new medicinal properties of carotenoids
and capsaicinoids of CapsicUl77 could be of gredt
potential to become evermore versatile crop in world
agriculture, Thus, an interndtional focus is requirpd
on the development of Capsicum for high colour ,'nd
low or nil pungency through germplasm, genetics and
breeding. As far is India is concerned, majority of the
 EXTRACTABLE COLOUR AND PUNGENCY IN CAPSICUM
chilli area IS caniined to tropics and thereiore, our
attention should be the development oi paprika type
chilli genotypes suitable to tropical conditions. Also,
systematic attempt has to be made in germplasm
collection and evaluation oi low pungent, high colour
types such as Bydagi and tomato chilli. Furthermore,
identiiication oi hybrid combinations with high
economic yield coupled with high colourdnt and
oleoresin recovery would help in increasing the
colourant and oleoresin yield per unit area substantially.
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