Abstract: The respiratory rate of sweet pepper (capsicum frutescens) increased sharply under the chilling stress. The relative conductivity of pulp and the membrane permeability also increased as the time of chilling stress prolonged. The prestorage heat treatment lessened the rise in respiration and reduced the electrolyte leakage of pulp.The rise in respiration a process of ripening with peel color development at 10-12℃, was restrained after prestorage heat treatment. When sweet peppers were ’stored at 0-1℃ after prestorage heat treatment the delayed symptom of chilling injury appeared 8days later and the degree of chilling injury was minimized .The combining use of prestorage heat treatment and low- temperature storage (0 - 1 ℃ ) could restrain the ripening and peel color development significantly. Prestorage heat treat- ment reduced. the incidence of decay, increased fruit commercial value, extended storage life and shelf life of sweet peppers during cold storage. The prestorage heat treatment had no adverse effects on the quality of sweet peppers during cold storage.

Key words: Sweet pepper Prestorage heat treatment Chilling injury Respiratory rate Chilling stress