Physiological changes of pepino (Solanum muricatum Ait.) during maturation and ripening.
Huyskens-Keil, S.; Widayat, H. P.; Ludders, P.; Schreiner, M.; Peters, P.;
Acta Horticulturae Year: 2000 Issue: No. 531 Pages: 251-256 Ref: 8 ref.
2000
บทคัดย่อ
S. muricatum plants were grown during May-September 1998 in a greenhouse in Berlin-Dahlem, Germany. Fruits were harvested at 3 ripening stages (mature-green, colour break and ripe), based on external appearance, skin colour pattern and textural properties, and stored at 5 deg C or 18 deg C for up to 21 days. Data were collected on fresh and dry weight, carbohydrate pattern, sugar/acid ratio, organic acid, pectic substances and fruit colour of pepino fruits after 7, 14 and 21 days of storage. Storage temperature did not significantly affect fresh or dry weight of fruits. Loss of fresh weight was higher in ripe than unripe fruits during storage. The dry weight of pepino increased at all ripening stages. Glucose and fructose contents declined during ripening, whereas sucrose content increased significantly, leading to a higher ratio of dissacharides to monosaccharides in ripe fruits than in younger fruits. This ratio was higher in fruits stored at 18 deg C than at 5 deg C within 14 days of storage
(DOS). During ripening, the sugar/acid ratio increased until the fruits reached the colour break stage, but declined thereafter, with the ratio being 16 and 13 in colour break and ripe fruits, respectively. The same pattern was observed during storage. Citric acid and an approximately equal amount of malic and tartaric acid were present in all ripening stages. Total content of pectic substances remained unchanged during ripening, but increased in mature unripe and colour break fruits within 14 DOS. The content was higher in fruits stored at 18 deg C, specifically after 21 DOS. It is concluded that fruits at the colour break stage showed a better postharvest behaviour in terms of reduced internal quality losses, specifically at storage temperature of 5 deg C.