Growth analysis of sweet pepper fruits (Capsicum annuum L.)

Growth of individual sweet pepper fruits was measured destructively as well as non-destructively throughout their development. Moreover, the relative contributions of different fruit parts to the growth of the fruit were quantified. The length, circumference and fresh and dry weight of the fruit followed sigmoid growth curves. At 20°C the fruit reached the marketable stages for green sweet pepper at 40–45 days after anthesis (DAA), while about 20 days later the fruit turned red. After 45 DAA fresh weight hardly increased while the dry weight increased by about 20&Eth;The dry-matter percentage of the fruit decreased from 16–18 t anthesis to 6–8 t 30 DAA; thereafter it increased to 8–10&Eth;The time course of the dry-matter percentage of pericarp and placental tissue showed a pattern similar to that of the total fruit. However, during fruit development the dry-matter percentage of the seed increased to 50&Eth;The dry weight of the seeds as a fraction of the total fruit dry weight was rather constant during fruit development, but varied considerably among individual fruits (0–18