Comprehensive Evaluation of Hot Pepper Quality Based on Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis

Through the comparative analysis of 24 indexes of 18 kinds of fresh pepper, the principal component analysis and cluster analysis were carried out. The results showed that the pepper epidermis was mostly smooth. Except for "Taoling Sanwei Pepper", which was flat shoulder, the other peppers were round shoulder and the tip of pepper was raised. The fruit width diameter was positively correlated with stem width, fruit weight and water contents (p<0.01). Reducing sugar was positively correlated with soluble solids and total sugar, and negatively correlated with water content and sucrose (p<0.01). Soluble solids were positively correlated with reducing sugar, total sugar and total acid, and negatively correlated with sucrose and amino acid nitrogen (p<0.01). Through screening, three kinds of peppers, "Yanmei", "C622" and "Bolatianji" had the best comprehensive scores and were suitable for popularization and research, which had certain guiding significance for further development of pepper resources in different regions.