Effect of cow vermicompost on antioxidant activities and fruitquality of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Cow vermicompost has considered a valuable fertilizer for sustainable agriculture. The presentinvestigation undertook to evaluate the effect of cow vermicompost on antioxidant compoundsand fruit quality of pepper under field conditions. The experiment designed in a randomizedblock design with three replications. Treatments consisted of four levels of cow vermicompost(۰, ۵, ۱۰, and ۱۵ t ha-۱). The results indicated that fruit antioxidant activity, total flavonoid,carbohydrate, and carotenoids contents influenced by cow vermicompost, but total phenolicand capsaicin content weren’t affected significantly by cow vermicompost treatmentsapplications. Cow vermicompost applied to at ۱۵ t ha-۱ resulted in the highest fruit antioxidantactivity in the first and second season ۳۰% and ۲۸% (respectively) and carbohydrate content۲۵% and ۳۴% (respectively), while the lowest values recorded in the control. The highest totalflavonoid content (۳۷۳.۵۰ and ۳۴۳.۱۳ mg ۱۰۰g-۱, respectively in ۲۰۱۷ and ۲۰۱۸) obtained inplants treated with ۱۰ t ha-۱ of cow vermicompost, while the lowest values recorded in thecontrol. In ۲۰۱۷ and ۲۰۱۸, lycopene content (۳۳ and ۳۱%, respectively) in the concentrationof ۵ t ha-۱ of cow vermicompost, were higher than the control treatment. Also, the greatest β –Carotene content (۸۶۳.۰۳ mg kg-۱) recorded in treated plants with ۵ t ha-۱ of cow vermicompostin ۲۰۱۸ seasons. The results confirm that the use of cow vermicompost has a positive effecton the antioxidant activity and fruit quality of hot pepper under field conditions.

کلیدواژه ها:

Antioxidant ، Carbohydrate ، Carotenoid ، Flavonoid ، Organic Fertilizer