Guifang Li^1,2

1 Jiande Qingrun Modern Agriculture Development Co., Ltd., Jiande, 311600, Zhejiang, China
2 Zhejiang Agronomist College, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Biological Evidence, 2026, Vol. 16, No. 2   
Received: 30 Jan., 2026    Accepted: 10 Mar., 2026    Published: 22 Mar., 2026

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Chili pepper (Capsicum spp.) is an important economic crop, and its yield and capsaicin content are directly related to product quality and industrial value. Nitrogen is a key nutrient affecting chili growth, development, and secondary metabolism. Its application rate and form not only determine yield level, but also play a crucial role in regulating capsaicin synthesis. This paper systematically reviews the dynamics of nitrogen in chili cultivation systems, its uptake mechanisms, and its effects on plant growth, yield formation, and nitrogen use efficiency. It focuses on the metabolic pathways, key enzyme activities, and gene expression mechanisms involved in nitrogen-regulated capsaicin biosynthesis. Studies show that an appropriate nitrogen supply and a reasonable NH₄⁺:NO₃⁻ ratio can promote plant growth and increase yield while enhancing the accumulation of capsaicin and related metabolites. In contrast, both excessive and insufficient nitrogen disrupt the balance between yield and quality. In addition, practices such as integrated water–fertilizer management, controlled-release fertilizers, split application, and multi-nutrient coordinated management can improve nitrogen use efficiency and reduce environmental risks. In the future, combining precision agriculture technologies with genetic improvement strategies will help achieve coordinated development of high yield, high quality, and ecological sustainability in chili production.

Chili pepper; Nitrogen management; Capsaicin; Yield; Nitrogen use efficiency