Assessing the retention of capsaicin and capsanthin compounds in chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) genotypes during storage

The present study was undertaken with an aim to examine the retention capacity of forty chilli genotypes for capsaicin and capsanthin compounds during the storage of six months. Capsanthin and capsaicin content levels were measured at four different intervals during storage, namely immediately after harvest, after two months of storage, after four months of storage and after six months of storage. Findings of the study revealed that all forty genotypes demonstrated a decline in both capsanthin and capsaicin content over the six-month storage period. All the forty genotypes registered significant reduction in capsanthin content during storage. Bydagi Dabbi and KTPL-19 were among the genotypes that demonstrated good color values and capsanthin retention capacity over six months storage. Out of the forty genotypes, thirty seven registered a significant reduction in capsaicin content whereas three genotypes viz., Pusa Sadabahar, Punjab Guchhedar and LCA 324 showed non-significant reduction in capsaicin content indicating their good capsaicin retention abilities. Twenty-seven out of forty chilli genotypes exhibited a more pronounced decrease in capsanthin content compared to capsaicin content suggesting faster decline in capsanthin values than capsaicin values. This study implies that diverse chilli genotypes exhibit varying capacities to retain both capsaicin and capsanthin compounds during storage.