Cultivation of chili peppers is frequently exposed to abiotic stress factors that affect
plant growth, yield and fruit quality, including the content of capsaicinoids responsible
for pungency. Due to the need for sustainable production practices, increasing attention
is being paid to the use of biostimulants, among which algae extracts play an important
role, as they can improve nutrient use efficiency, enhance plant tolerance to stress and
influence crop quality. The aim of this thesis was to systematically review and evaluate
studies on the effects of algae-based extracts on chili growth and yield quality, with a
particular focus on capsaicinoid content in chili peppers belonging to different species
of the genus Capsicum. The review includes scientific articles on the use of extracts
from green, brown and red algae and commercial seaweed products, which were most
commonly applied as foliar sprays. It was found that algae extracts often have positive
effects on vegetative growth, antioxidant activity, plant nutritional status and yield,
whereas their impact on capsaicinoid content is not uniform. The effect depends on
cultivar, type of preparation, application rate, site of capsaicinoid accumulation within
the fruit and growing conditions. Based on the literature review, it can be concluded that
algae extracts have considerable potential for sustainable chili pepper production, but
further targeted research is needed to reliably modulate the content of pungent
compounds.
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