Environmental Pollution and Protection

Impact of Elevated Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide on Yield, Vitamin C, Proximate, Fatty Acid and Amino Acid Composition of Capsicum (Capsicum Annuum)

Download PDF (647.6 KB) PP. 153 - 167 Pub. Date: December 1, 2017

DOI: 10.22606/epp.2017.24001

Author(s)

Andaleeb Azam^*
Department of Chemistry, Women University Swabi, Swabi, KP, Pakistan
Abdul Hameed
National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Haidian, Beijing, China
Ikhtiar Khan
Institute of Chemical Sciences, University of Peshawar, Pakistan

Abstract

A steady increase in the atmospheric CO2 concentration due to human activities in the last few decades is largely believed to be a major cause of climate change. Since agriculture is a climate sensitive system, there is a growing concern that the CO2 added to the air is changing the nutritional composition of fruits, grains and vegetables. Based on this hypothesis, the present experiment work was conducted to study the effect of enhanced atmospheric CO2 on nutritional and biochemical composition of chili (Capsicum annuum). Five local varieties of capsicum (Angrika, Best Choice, Diana, Magama, and 99PE-1689) were grown under two concentrations of CO2, i.e. 400µmol mol-1 (ambient) and 1000µmol mol-1(elevated) under controlled conditions in green houses. Fruits were harvested at two stages of maturity and analyzed for proximate, elemental, fatty acid and amino acid concentration. Capsicum fruits grown under higher CO2 concentration had different nutritional composition.Vitamin C, protein, ash and fat contents decreased significantly (P≤0.05), acidity decreased non-significantly (P>0.1) whereas sugar and fiber contents increased significantly under enhanced CO2. Elemental composition showed a significant increase in C, H, Fe, Mn and a decrease in N, Ca, Mg and Zn contents. Few elements (S, K and Cu) showed no significant trend with elevated CO2. Fatty acids, with few exceptions,were not much affected by CO2 enrichment. Amino acids decreased with elevated concentration of CO2. The effect of enhanced CO2 was more pronounced at the fully matured (red) stage as compared to the pre-mature (green) stage of capsicum fruit. Enhanced atmospheric CO2 lowered the nutritional quality of capsicum fruit by decreasing its vitamin C, proteins, Ca, Mg and Zn contents.

Keywords

Atmospheric CO2, capsicum, nutritional quality, elemental composition.

References

[1] Keeling, R.F., et al., Carbon Dioxide Research Group,, 2008, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California: California.

[2] IPCC, IPCC(2007), in Climate Change. The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge Univ. Press2007.

[3] Allen Jr., L.H., et al., Advances in Carbon Dioxide Research. ASA Special Publication 611997. 179–228.

[4] DaMatta, F.M., et al., Impacts of climate changes on crop physiology and food quality. Food Res. Int., 2010. 43(7): p. 1814–1823.

[5] Kimball, B.A., K. Kobayashi, and M. Bindi, Responses of agricultural crops to free-air CO2 enrichment. Adv. Agron., 2002. 77: p. 293-368.

[6] Leakey, A.D.B., et al., Elevated CO2 effects on plant carbon, nitrogen, and water relations: Six important lessons from FACE. J. Exp. Bot., 2009. 60(10): p. 2859–2876.

[7] Bosland, P.W., Capsicums: Innovative uses of an ancient crop. Progress in new crops. ASHS Press, Arlington, VA, 1996: p. 479-487.

[8] H?gg, M., S. Ylikoski, and J. Kumpulainen, Vitamin C and alfa- and beta-carotene contents in vegetables consumed in Finland during 1988-1989 and 1992-1993. J. Food Comp. Anal, 1994. 7: p. 252-259.

[9] Howard, L.R., et al., Changes in phytochemical and antioxidant activity of selected pepper cultivars (Capsicum species) as influenced by maturity. J. Agric. Food. Chem., 2000. 48: p. 1713-1720.

[10] Mulchi, C.L., et al., Growth and physiological characteristics of soybean in open-top chambers in response to ozone and increased atmospheric CO2. Agr. Ecosyst. Environ., 1992. 38(1-2): p. 107-118.

[11] Rajput, J.C. and Y.R. Parulekar, El pimiento, in Tratado de Ciencia y Tecnologia de lashortalizas, D.K. Salunkhe, Editor 2004, Zaragoza, Spain: Acriba. p. 203-225.

[12] Penuelas, J., et al., Detrimental effects of fluctuating high CO2 concentrations on peppers. Photosynthetica, 1995. 31: p. 361-370.

[13] Janes, B.E., Effect of carbon dioxide, osmotic potential of nutrient solution, and light intensity on transpiration and resistance to flow of water in pepper plants. Plant Physiol., 1970. 45: p. 95-103.

[14] Furlan, R.A., et al., Effect of irrigation water depth and CO2 application on sweet pepper yield cv. Mayata in plastic greenhouse. Horticultura Brasileira, 2002. 20(4): p. 547-550.

[15] Aloni, B., et al., The effect of high temperature and high atmospheric CO2 on carbohydrate changes in bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) pollen in relation to its germination. Physiol. Plantarum 2001. 112: p. 505-512.

[16] Grodzinski, B., et al., Regulating plant/insect interactions using CO2 enrichment in model ecosystems. Adv. Space Res., 1999. 24: p. 281-291.

[17] Taub, D.R. and X. Wang, Why are Nitrogen Concentrations in Plant Tissues Lower under Elevated CO2? A Critical Examination of the Hypotheses. J. Integr. Plant Biol., 2008. 50(11): p. 1365–1374.

[18] Cook, J.A., et al., Nutrient and chemical composition of 13 wild plant foods of Niger. J. Food Comp. Anal., 2000(13): p. 83-92.

[19] Taub, D.R., B. Miller, and H. Allen, Effects of elevated CO2 on the protein concentration of food crops: a meta-analysis. Global Change Biol., 2008. 14(3): p. 565–575.

[20] H?gy, P. and A. Fangmeier, Atmospheric CO2 enrichment affects potatoes: 2. Tuber quality traits. Eur. J. Agron., 2009. 30(2): p. 85-94.

[21] Martinez, S., et al., The composition of Aronia peppers (Capsicum anuum L.) at different stages of maturity. Int. J. Food Sci. Nutr., 2007. 58(2): p. 150-161.

[22] Islam, M.S., T. Matsui, and Y. Yoshida, Effect of carbon dioxide enrichment on physico-chemical and enzymatic changes in tomato fruits at various stages of maturity. Sci. Hort., 1996. 65(2-3): p. 137-149.

[23] H?gg, M., S. Ylikoski, and J. Kumpulainen, Vitamin C and alfa- and beta-carotene contents in vegetables consumed in Finland during 1988-1989 and 1992-1993. J. Food Comp. Anal., 1994. 7(252-259).

[24] Gifford, R.M., D.J. Barrett, and J.L. Lutze, The effects of elevated [CO2] on the C:N and C:P mass ratios of plant tissues. Plant. Soil, 2000. 224(1–14).

[25] H?gy, P., et al., Grain quality characteristics of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) as affected by free-air CO2 enrichment. Environ. Exp. Bot. DOI: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2011.12.007, 2011.