Influence of foliar applications of chelator and micronutrients on antioxidants in green chilli

The aim of the present work was to study the influence of foliar applications of chelator [Humic acid: HA1(0%) and HA2(0.05%)] and micronutrients [Zinc: Zn1(0%); Zn2(0.05%) and Boron: B1(0%); B2(0.02%)] on the antioxidant compounds in green mature chilli fruits cv. Bullet (Capsicum annum L.), a pot experiment in factorial randomized block design with three replications was conducted in the net house of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal and India. In this experiment, some non enzymatic antioxidants, enzymatic antioxidants and total antioxidant activity were analyzed. It was also suggested that the ascorbic acid content significantly positively influenced the application of Zn2, HA2Zn2 and HA2B2. The free phenol content exerted significantly positive induction by application of B2. The total phenol content significantly increased the application of HA2Zn2 and HA2B2. The applications of HA2, Zn2 and HA2B2 could produce significantly increasing effects in concentration of carotene content. While, the highest values of capsaicin content was obtained by application of HA1B2. The highest activity of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase were exhibited by the application of HA2B2, HA1Zn2 and HA1B2, respectively. The highest total antioxidant activity was observed by application of HA2B2. The carotene and peroxidase activity had a significant positive association with ascorbic acid, total phenol and carotene had a significant positive correlation with superoxide dismutase, and free phenol and capsaicin had a significant positive association with total antioxidant activity. Based on principal component analysis and average values, foliar application of HA2B2 followed by HA2 and B2 had good performers with respect to all variables, which may bring about the proper value addition in green chilli by enhancing the antioxidant constituents and antioxidant activities.