Screening of colored and green capsicum cultivars for economic traits and antioxidant potential grown at mid-hill climatic conditions of Uttarakhand

Six genotypes of bell pepper viz. Red Capsicum, Yellow Capsicum, Violet Capsicum (colored capsicums) and EC 579997, DARL 70, CW-51 (Green capsicums) were evaluated at Defence Institute of Bio-Energy Research, Field Station, Pithoragarh. Data were recorded for their yield and yield attributing traits, antioxidant constituents and antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity of these genotypes has been estimated by ABTS and DPPH methods. Antioxidant constituents viz. ascorbic acid, total chlorophyll, tannin content, phenolic contents, total carotenoids, total flavonoids content were also estimated. The results showed significant differences for all the characters studied among these genotypes. Fruit length, fruit circumference, fruit weight, 1000 seed weight and seed yield were found the contributing characters for yield improvement. The antioxidant constituents and antioxidant activity in bell pepper were found in increasing order in colored fruits rather than green fruits. Red Capsicum was found the best towards quantitative traits and antioxidant potential followed by Yellow Capsicum and Violet Capsicum cultivars.