Seed Quality, and Fatty Acid and Sugar Contents of Pepper Seeds (Capsicum annuum L.) in Relation to Seed Development and Drying Temperatures

This study was carried out in order to determine the effects of drying temperature (25, 35, and 45 degrees C) and the developmental stage (55, 65, 75, and 85 days after anthesis (DAA)) on germination, vigor, and the sugar (sucrose, glucose, fructose) and fatty acid contents of pepper seeds (Capsicum annuum L.) over 2 consecutive years. In seeds harvested at 75 DAA and after, seed viability and vigor were not influenced by drying at temperatures up to 45 degrees C. Linoleic acid (18:2) was the main fatty acid in pepper seeds, comprising 75-80% of total fatty acids. It was followed by oleic (18: 1) and palmitic (16:0) as roughly 10%-12% and stearic (18:0) as 3%. The results indicated that drying seeds at different temperatures does not change fatty acid composition. Approximately 30% of the pepper seeds are constituted of sucrose, and this did not change with maturity level between 55 and 85 DAA. nor did it change at different drying temperatures. However, the levels of fructose and glucose gradually decreased as the developmental stage advanced and both were lower than 4% of total sugar at the final harvest. Seeds dried at 45 degrees C had lower amounts of sugar compared to those dried at 25 and 35 degrees C. Seed quality and fatty acid and sucrose composition do not change as long as the seeds are harvested within 75 DAA.