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Effects of harvest maturity and storage temperature on postharvest physiology and quality of hot pepper fruit were investigated. During 60-day storage, highest rates of ethylene production and respiration were observed in fruits harvested at initial coloring stage followed by those in fruits of greening and reddening stage. They were considerably higher in fruits stored at 15℃ or 20℃ than those at 5℃ or 10℃. Sugar content was higher by 6% in fruits of initial coloring and reddening stage than those of greening stage. Ascorbic acid content was high in the order of reddening fruits, initial coloring fruits, and green fruits, while consumption of ascorbic acid was higher in fruits of greening stage than those of coloring and reddening stage. By storage temperature, ascorbic acid content decreased rapidly at high temperature (15℃ or 20℃) compared to low temperature (5℃ or 10℃). The highest capsaicinoids content was found in fruits harvested at initial coloring stage, followed by those in fruits of reddening and greening stage, but the content was not influenced by storage period or storage temperature. Decay developed rapidly in fruits of greening stage compared to those in fruits of initial coloring and reddening stage. Decay rates were higher at high temperature than at low temperature.
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