Concentration of capsaicinoids in Tabasco pepper with doses of CO ₂ applied via irrigation

ABSTRACT

The study was performed to evaluate the effects of different doses of carbon dioxide (CO₂), applied through drip irrigation in determining the concentration of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin in the fruits of hot pepper cv. Tabasco (Capsicum frutescens). We aimed to obtain hotter fruits and greater production of these substances for the market of spicy sauces. The experimental design was a randomized block with 4 treatments and 8 replications. Twenty pepper fruits were collected at full maturity, red colored, before the start of wilting, totaling 12 samples. For each sample, two replications of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin were analyzed. Analyses were performed by liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection in CROMA in USP-São Carlos. The concentration of capsaicin in fruits reduced as the applied concentration of CO₂ increased, up to a minimum value of 297 mg/kg of fruits for 123.8 g CO₂/L. The same behavior was observed in relation to dihydrocapsaicin, with a minimum of 108.46 mg/kg of fruits for 123.8 g CO₂/L. This means that the higher the CO₂ concentration applied via drip irrigation water, the lower the analyzed capsaicinoids concentration on fruit. However, since productivity increases with increasing CO₂ doses, the total yield of these substances per plant was higher, even though it did not provide an increase in the concentration of these capsaicinoids in fruits.

Keywords:
Capsicum frutescens; drip irrigation; carbon dioxide.