Modeling fruit growth and ripening and quality traits of climacteric and non-climacteric Amazonic hot pepper accessions

Fruit growth in six hot pepper accessions from C.frutescens (yellow cesari, Chiche pato and cudavio hot peppers) and from C. chinense (lulito, pajarito and 'Cesari red' hot peppers) were monitored in four commercial western colombian Amazonic orchards. The time between fruit set and commercial pepper fruit maturity was 40 ±5d for 'Lulito', while 'Cudavio', 'Cesari red' and 'Cesari yellow', 'Chiche pato', and 'Cudavio' required 50 ±3 d. Three stages of development were identified according to the modeled sigmoid pattern of fruit growth (as measured by longitudinal and equatorial diameters and fresh fruit weight). The first stage was of cell division in the accessions. A second stage of fruit growth occurred due to maximum cell expansion and some transient peaks of respiration rate also took place. Finally, a plateau occurred as fruit reached full maturity and followed typical non-climacteric behavior with exception of the 'Cesari yellow' hot pepper which exhibited a clear climacteric respiration pattern. Fresh weight and diameter, and to a lesser extent dry weight or length were not sufficient to discriminate between C.frutescens or C. chinense accessions and classified the accessions into three main groups, particularly grouping Cesari red in one side and two C.frutescens accessions in the other side.