Investigation of the effects of mycorrhizal relationships on growth, development and capsaicin production in pepper plant (capsicum annuum l.)

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of mycorrhizal fungi Funneliformis mosseae and Rhizophagus intraradices on phenological characteristics, biochemical changes, antioxidant activities and capsaicin production of pepper plants treated with four different irrigation rates (25, 50, 75 and 100%) by establishing a symbiotic relationship with pepper plant (C. annuum). The effect of mycorrhizal fungi on morphological characteristics and fruit characteristics of pepper, plant nutrient content, biochemical properties, capsaicin, and dihydrocapsaicin production by GC-MS were investigated. It was determined that pepper plants inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi and treated with different irrigation rates had better values regarding the investigated parameters than control plants. The highest capsaicin production was determined as 6.45±0.22 mg/g DW in the plant group inoculated with F. mosseae and irrigated at 50%. This study revealed that the symbiotic relationship of the pepper plant with the mycorrhizal fungi has positive effects on the growth, development and production of capsaicin.