Abstract
Sugar apples have attracted attention in recent years due to their medicinal and nutritional properties. However, the shelf life of sugar apples is one of the most concerning problems owing to their perishability. This work aimed to determine the ideal harvest time for sugar apple fruits in relation to different classes of carpel interspaces. Therefore, fruits were classified into three stages according to the carpel interspace: stage 1 (0.0 - 2.0 mm); stage 2 (2.1 - 3.0 mm); and stage 3 (3.0 - 4.0 mm). After harvesting, the fruits were evaluated daily in the laboratory regarding their physical and physicochemical aspects until they reached the point of consumption (horticultural maturation). The following variables were evaluated: fruit diameter and length (mm); fruit, peel, pulp, and seed masses (g); color index, including the chromatic attributes L* (luminosity), C* (chroma), and h* (hue angle); bark firmness (N); soluble solids (°Brix); titratable acidity (g citric acid 100 g-1 of pulp-1); pulp yield; and ratio SS/TA. Fruits at stage 3 showed larger diameters, less firmness, and better chromaticity means. Fruits at stages 2 and 3 had eight days of postharvest life. However, fruits at stage 2 took longer for 50% of the fruits to be ready for consumption. The results demonstrate that stages 2 and 3 can be determinants for the harvest time of sugar apples.
Highlights
Sugar apples (Annona squamosa L.) have emerged in the international in natura fruit market for their excellent prices and acceptance by consumers because of their pleasant flavor and aroma
To improve the fruit quality and extend the storage periods, fruits with climacteric patterns, such as sugar apples, must be harvested before the climacteric stage begins, considering that the maturation process continues during storage
Setting the ideal harvest time is a difficult task, but some morphological characteristics of the fruits can be taken into account; for example, farmers can make this decision based on the carpel interspace and the change in the epidermis color of the fruit carpels, which change from green to yellowish green (Liu et al, 2015; Pareek, Yahia, Pareek, & Kaushik, 2011)
Summary
Sugar apples (Annona squamosa L.) have emerged in the international in natura fruit market for their excellent prices and acceptance by consumers because of their pleasant flavor and aroma. The early harvest hinders fruit maturation; on the other hand, late harvest shortens the storage period since the fruits are close to the senescence stage and are subject to greater dehydration (Silva, Mizobutsi, Mizobutsi, Cordeiro, & Fernandes, 2013). In both situations, the fruits become more susceptible to physiological disorders than when harvested at the appropriate time
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