Yielding and Fruit Quality of Three Sweet Pepper Cultivars from Organic and Conventional Cultivation

The investigations were undertaken to study the effect of cultivar and growing system (organic vs. conventional) on sweet pepper (Capsicum annum L.) yielding, fruit morphology and antioxidants content.

Two hybrids Caryca and Roberta and one open pollinated cultivar Mercedes all of the Polish origin were compared during 2007 and 2008 in the field experiments. Conventional production was based on mineral fertilization and chemical plant protection, while organic relied on compost fertilization and stabilized ecosystem with no chemical used according to EU Regulation 2092/91 for organic farming. The results revealed a good response of bell pepper to organic cultivation system. Marketable fruit yield was higher and morphological characters better from organic cultivation. The content of human health beneficial compounds such as acsorbic acid, total flavonoids, soluble phenols and beta- carotene were investigated at the red stage of fruit maturity. Both the cultivar and growing method influenced the level of examined compounds. Pepper fruits obtained from organic cultivation system comprised higher amount of vitamin C, beta-carotene total flavonoids and polyphenols than from the conventional. Roberta F₁ revealed the higher content of vitamin C, beta-carotene than Caryca F₁ and Mercedes. Moreover cultivar Roberta F₁ demonstrated the highest level of polyphenols in both cultivation systems.