Impact of Elevating Temperature Based on Climate Change Scenarios on Growth and Fruit Quality of Red Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

This study was conducted to determine the impact of temperature elevated based on climate change scenario on growth and fruit quality of red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) in walk-in plant growth chambers. The intraday temperatures of climate normal years (IT) were determined using intraday mean temperatures of climatic normal years (1971~2000) in the Andong Province during the growing season (May 1~July 30). Red pepper plants were cultivated under different temperatures (starting at IT rise by up to 6 o C, 2 o C increment). Plant height, stem diameter, branch number, leaf number, fresh weight and dry weight increased under the temperatures higher than IT. The number of flower was the greatest under IT+2 o C (mean temperature at 22.8 o C). The total number and the weight of fruits were the highest under IT+2 o C. While the fruit weight, fruit length and fruit diameter decreased more than IT+2 o C as the temperature increased gradually. These results concluded that in condition that the current diurnal temperature change cycle is maintained in Andong area, in accordance with climate change scenarios, when the temperature rise 2 o C higher than intraday temperature of Andong area the quantity of pepper fruits will increase while maintaining quality, but increases more than that degree yields are expected to decrease significantly. This result suggests that the fruit yield could increase under IT+2 o C and fruit quality could maintain great, but the fruit yield could decrease under the temperatures higher than IT+2 o C.