Fertilizer rate and beta-galactosidase and peroxidase activity in pepper fruit at different stages and years of harvest.

Beta-galactosidase and peroxidase are enzymes reported to have roles in pepper maturation. Fertilizer rate may affect activity of these enzymes in fruit maturing on the plant. Nine pepper cultivars, five non-pungent and four pungent, were fertilized at two rates in field plots in 1997 and 1998 at Lane, OK, USA. Fruit were harvested at mature green, turning, and red color developmental stages, and assayed for beta-galactosidase and peroxidase activity. Overall fruit beta-galactosidase activity increased as fertilizer rate increased, and was highest in red fruit. Fertilizer rate and fruit developmental stage did not affect peroxidase activity in 1997, but peroxidase activity was highest in red fruit in 1998. Enzyme activity appeared to be cultivar dependent, and patterns differed in both years. Activities of both enzymes were higher at the red stage in many of the non-pungent peppers than in pungent peppers. These data suggest that increased fertilizer affects the activity of at least one enzyme in fruit maturing on the plant. Cultural practices affecting enzyme activity may be used to modify concentrations of components in plants that are important for human consumption.