2 research outputs found
Formation and Transformation of Pigments during the Fruit Ripening of Capsicum annuum Cv. Bola and Agridulce
The photosynthetic pigments of the Capsicum annuum cv. Bola and Agridulce were monitored during
ripening. Whereas the chlorophyllic pigments, as well as lutein and neoxanthin, disappeared, @-carotene
and violaxanthin increased in concentration and other carotenoid pigments were formed de novo:
zeaxanthin, capsanthin, capsorubin,@ -cryptoxanthina, nd capsolutein. The biosynthesis of cryptocapsin
was not detected. The concentration increase of the carotenoids was always greater in the Agridulce
variety at the totally ripe stage, but the concentration decreases in bothvarieties with successive harvests.
Those pigments that are the final products of the biosynthetic pathway (red pigments) represent a lower
percentage of the total pigments in the last harvest, compared with other pigments such as @-carotene,
violaxanthin, and @-cryptoxanthin, which, as intermediates in the synthesis of the red pigments, are
present in somewhat higher percentages, and for this reason the provitamin A value increased with
successive harvests in each variety.We express our sincere gratitude to CICYT (Spanish
government) for supporting this research project (ALI 91-
1166-CO3-02)Peer reviewe