The influence of acute water stresses on the biochemical composition of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) berries

BACKGROUND Crops are exposed to recurrent and acute drought stress episodes during their vegetative and reproductive cycles, and these episodes are increasingly frequent due to ongoing climate change. Sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum), alias bell pepper, is one of the most widely cultivated vegetables and is grown in open fields worldwide. Here we assessed the effect of acute water stress, applied to a breeding line of sweet pepper at three stages of plant development: five true-leaves (Stage 1), production of the third flower (Stage 2) and setting of the first fruit (Stage 3), on the production and biochemical composition of its ripe fruits. RESULTS The water stress at Stages 1 and 2 induced a delay in fruit ripening, while at Stage 3 caused a drop in production. The biochemical composition of ripe fruits was assessed by quantifying their content in vitamin C, sugars, organic acids, flavonoids as well as 190 volatile organic compounds, mainly belonging to the chemical classes of hydrocarbons, alcohols, ketones, esters, terpenes, aldehydes and ethers. Our results highlight that, at different stages of plant development, acute water stresses modulate differently the accumulation of bioactive compounds in fruits, which play a key role in setting the redox-status and osmotic adjustment of the plant. This was also the case for volatile compounds since, within each chemical class, different compounds varied their content in ripe fruits. CONCLUSIONS On the whole, our results demonstrate that water stresses potentially affect the organoleptic and sensory qualities of bell pepper fruits depending on when they occur. (c) 2021 Society of Chemical Industry

Automated summary

This study assessed the effect of acute water stress on the production and biochemical composition of sweet pepper fruits at different stages of plant development, finding that water stress at different stages can delay fruit ripening or reduce production, and impact the accumulation of bioactive compounds in fruits.