The long period for bell pepper fruit maturation makes early harvests object of interest for farmers. However, pepper fruits must have at least 70% of their coloration for commercialization. The exposure of fruits to ethylene gas can enhance uniform color. This work had the objective to study the ethylene action on postharvest behavior of bell peppers 'Prador R' (yellow fruits) and 'Rubia R' (red fruits) picked with 15% of their surface colored. The gas (120 µL L-1) was applied each six hours during 88 hours in a chamber maintained at 22ÚC and 80% RH on fruits kept in shelves. The ethylene accelerated the color development and increased the soluble solids content of bell peppers 'Rubia R'. The ascorbic acid, titratable acidity and pH of fruits were not affected due to gas application for both pepper varieties.
Capsicum annuum; vegetable regulator; maturation
