Carotenoid and tocopherol content of pungent spice red peppers as affected by genetic and abiotic factors

• Climate conditions impact the content of phytochemicals in pungent spice peppers. • Carotenoid content and response to climate change are genotype-dependent. • Low precipitation and high temperature increase red carotenoids in pungent peppers. • High precipitation and low temperature promoted synthesis of vitamin A precursors. • Content and response of vitamin E is affected by genetic x environment interactions. The effect of climate and genetic factors on fat-soluble phytochemicals of four pungent peppers were investigated. The carotenoids and tocopherols were determined by recent chromatographic methods. Low temperature and high precipitation promoted synthesis of yellow-coloured carotenoid groups and provitamin A, while the climate with high temperature low precipitation, were favourable for the synthesis of the red xanthophylls. The provitamins A increased by 7–81 % when the precipitation was substantially high and the temperature low in 2022. The total red carotenoids were lower by 4–35 % as compared to their content at the first harvest of the same season. In 2023, provitamins A were lower by 45–75 % and total red xanthophylls higher by 7–32 % due to change in climate conditions towards high precipitation and low temperature. The seasonal variation in climate had a strong significant impact on the tocopherol content of peppers. The climate variation between the two seasons resulted in an increase of 12–44 % and 46–72 % for the SZ178 and BHJ respectively. The genotypes differed significantly in phytochemical response to climate changes. In conclusion, the SZ178 and BHJ varieties are recommended due to their adaptation to climate changes. In future, genetic studies should consider the interaction between abiotic and genetic factors