The respiratory rate of the yellow bell pepper 'Zarco HS' was determined under influence of the stadium of maturation at harvest and at storage temperature. The bell peppers were placed inside tightly closed flasks and conditioned in 4 BODs with different temperatures: 5; 10; 15 and 25ºC, for the products harvested at summer, and 5; 10; 15 and 20ºC, for harvested at winter. Five flasks were used with approximately 0.5 kg of product. The system of continuous air flow was used inside of the flasks with aid of a flow board. The readings of CO2 were made in gaseous chromatograph VARIAN 3400, being accomplished five readings for each temperature during a period of seven days, in the summer, and 8 days, in the winter. After the end of the winter experiment, the temperature of BODs was maintained at 10ºC for the conduction of the second study. In this second study, bell peppers with 25%; 50%; 75% and 100% of yellow coloration were stored for determination of the respiratory rate for six days. The experimental design was completely randomized, with five repetitions in both studies. The ripening of the yellow bell pepper was characterized by the increment of respiratory rate, and the temperature of 5ºC resulted in larger reduction of this process.
Capsicum annuum L.; postharvest; conservation
