Breeding for extractable colour and pungency in capsicum - a review

Abstract

High yielding varietiC's developed by plant brecdC'rs has resulted ill green revolution, caused self sufiicicncy in food production. As the \vorld market develops mort-:> 10wards healthy cdting Jnd naturL'l1 products, the quality of the raw malerial from agriculture beconws more criticaL The indiscriminatp use of synthetic colours for the food colouring has several harmful effects. This necessitated our focus towards natural colours for food colouring, in general dnd development of high colour eh iII i variet it'S for extraction of pL1prika oleore,,1 n, in partl cu la r. Capsicum breed Ing for qual ity has evolved through pure Ii I1C .)election of local varietlcs to h,:brid devc)opment. Thl" review highlights achlpvements in breeding for high extractablE' colour and pungency L1nd brccding strategies. The .)cope of the dlscu~.)ioll add resscs colour and pungency pri nci pies, genetic re50Uln~\ diverSity, specie::. compa1ibility, v,nlcty dnd hybrid development and biotechnological <)pplDaches