Pectin methylesterase (PME) from green bell peppers (Capsicum annuum) was extracted and purified by affinity chromatography on a CNBr-Sepharose-PMEI column. A single protein peak with pectin methylesterase activity was observed. For the pepper PME, a biochemical characterization in terms of molar mass (MM), isoelectric points (pI), and kinetic parameters for activity and thermostability was per...

Bell peppers grown in greenhouses in the Mediterranean region are frequently subjected to high temperatures in summer and low temperatures in winter. The present experiment was designed to quantify the effect of season on pepper fruit growth, maturation and ripening. Three bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivars (Yolo Wonder, California Wonder and E84066) were cultivated in an unheated ...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Pepper (Capsicum annuum, Solanaceae) fruits are consumed worldwide and are of great economic importance. In most species ripening is characterized by important visual and metabolic changes, the latter including emission of volatile organic compounds associated with respiration, destruction of chlorophylls, synthesis of new pigments (red/yellow carotenoids plus xanthophylls a...

Andalusia, southern Spain, is a major horticultural production region within the Mediterranean, where over 10,000 ha are dedicated to the production of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Approximately two-thirds of the area dedicated to this crop is in a greenhouse and the remaining one-third is comprised of open field crops. Using pepper as a model, we identified and compared the major diseases caus...

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are known in various cropping systems to increase plant growth and vigor, as well as induce resistance to pathogens and pests. A commercial soil amendment containing a mixture of two species of Bacillus PGPR (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens) was evaluated for impact on germination and initial growth of bell pepper plants, efficacy aga...

Trace elements play a significant role in biological processes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the trace elements of interest in kidney disease in commonly consumed greenhouse vegetables in Isfahan, Iran. Six kinds of greenhouse vegetables namely; Raphanus sativus (Radish), Cucumis sativus (Cucamber), Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato), green Capsicum annuum (Green bell pepper), yellow Capsic...

In this study, we developed a viability evaluation method for pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) seeds based on hyperspectral reflectance imaging. The reflectance spectra of pepper seeds in the 400-700 nm range are collected from hyperspectral reflectance images obtained using blue, green, and red LED illumination. A partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) model is developed to classify v...

Color changes often accompany the onset of ripening, leading to brightly colored fruits that serve as attractants to seed-dispersing organisms. In many fruits, including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and pepper (Capsicum annuum), there is a sharp decrease in chlorophyll content and a concomitant increase in the synthesis of carotenoids as a result of the conversion of chloroplasts into chromopl...

The effect of pressure treatments of 100 and 200 MPa (10 and 20 min) and of thermal blanching at 70 C, 80 C and 98 C (1 and 2.5 min), on sweet green and red bell peppers was compared. Pressure treated peppers showed a lower reduction on soluble protein and ascorbic acid contents. Red peppers presented even an increased content of ascorbic acid (15–20%), compared to the untreated peppers. Peroxi...