Recursos genéticos de pimentas do gênero Capsicum - explorando a multiplicidade de usos

Abstract

The diversity found in Capsicum is wide, with a variety of fruit shape, size, colors and flavor, and also with different levels of pungency and nutritional composition. Many farmers maintain pepper landraces in southern Brazil, but many of these varieties have been lost by the abandonment of pepper cultivation or by the replacement for commercial cultivars. Aiming to preserve pepper landraces, since 2003 Embrapa Temperate Agriculture has held a Capsicum Active Germplasm Bank. The accessions should be available for breeding, for that they should be characterized and evaluated. This work aimed to contribute to the knowledge of Capsicum genetic resources with characterization and evaluation of accessions from the Capsicum Active Germplasm Bank of Embrapa Temperate Agriculture, and a diagnosis of cultural aspectos associated with the cultivation of pepper in the county of Turuçu / Rio Grande do Sul state , known as the national capital of red pepper. Sixty accessions of the five domesticated species of Capsicum were characterized, using 45 morphological descriptors. It was found a wide genetic variability of C. annuum, C. baccatum and C. chinense accessions. It was possible to identify suitable accessions for use in pepper breeding programs with different goals (development of cultivars of sweet peppers, for pickled production, for hot spices as well as for ornamental use). Phenolic compounds, in vitro antioxidant activity, total anthocyanins and carotenoids of ripe fruits of 24 accessions of C. baccatum were evaluated. It was found a wide genetic variability and P62, P85, P108, P13, P15, P61 and P179 accessions showed to be good sources of natural antioxidant compounds. Seventeen accessions of ornamental pepper with different characteristics from those available on the market were subjected to evaluation by potential customers. It was found great acceptance by consumers to ornamental peppers, more preferably by accessions presenting fruit color contrasting with foliage. Interviews and observations to verify the changes in peppers production on Turuçu county was done. It was found that although the county has a tradition in the cultivation of C. baccatum landraces in the last decade there was a drastic reduction in cultivated area. Other types of pepper began to be cultivated, particularly for processing in small agro-industries located in the county, guaranteeing the continuation of the tradition of peppers cultivation. The results presentedare significant, contributing to the knowledge of Capsicum genetic resources and demonstrate the importance of conservation, characterization and evaluation of accessions in a Active Germplasm Bank.