The effect of fruit maturation on changes of caretenoid concentrations was presented. The levels of β-carotene and xanthophylls were determined in unripe fruits 20 and 30 days after flowering (DAF) and also at the first and the end of fruit maturation stages (45 and 60 DAF). Their xanthophyll content was more than 19 times higher, and β-carotene contents 2 times higher than in unripe fruits (30 DAF) and also the level of these compounds was twice higher than at the begining of fruit maturation (45 DAF). The quality analyses of carotenoid fraction of red pepper fruit indicated that the dominant carotenoids were capsanthin – the red pigment contributing 37%, β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin – provitamin A – 26.8% of total carotenoids. The ethephon treatment stimulated carotenogenesis in pepper fruit. It was noticed that the level of β-carotene increased by more than 30% in 100 g of dry weight of fruit at the red stage as control.

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