Impact of nutrient management, soil type and location on the accumulation of capsaicin in Capsicum chinense (Jacq.): one of the hottest chili in the world

Abstract

Capsicum chinense (Jacq.) cv. Borbhut a highly pungent and strictly endemic landrace is found in Northeast India. Information regarding scientific cultivation of this crop is not available. In the present investigation, we formulated a few organic based integrated nutrient management schemes to standardize the pungency and hotness of the crop in two widely apart locations. Here we assess the impact of the management schemes on capsaicin accumulation in C. chinense grown in two types of soil (alluvial and lateritic) falling in two states of India (Assam and West Bengal). Some vital nutritional (crude protein, fibre, sugar and acid contents) and phytochemical features (β-carotene, lycopene) were also evaluated. Chilies grown in Assam soil (alluvial) exhibited significantly higher capsaicin content and pungency than those grown in the West Bengal soil. Application of vermicompost alone resulted in higher fruit yield, soluble sugar, protein, fibre, and lycopene contents in plants of Assam; whereas in West Bengal the maximum fruit yield and nutritional attributes were observed in plants grown under NPK+Vermicompost. However, vermicompost based nutrient management scheme efficiently elevated the pungency level in "Borbhut" irrespective of soil types.