Evaluation of quality indices during fruit development and ripening in 'Wonhwang' and 'Whasan' pears

Abstract

In this study, we evaluated the changes of fruit quality indices during fruit development and ripening in Korean new pear cultivar 'Wonhwang' and 'Whasan' to determine appropriate harvest time and to enhance the marketability. The fruit of each cultivar harvested from 100 days after full bloom (DAFB) to 135 and 150 DAFB in 'Wonhwang' and 'Whasan', respectively. The fruit growth of both cultivars showed a typical single sigmoidal pattern. Flesh firmness of two cultivars decreased continuously with fruit development and ripening, reaching a final level of about 2.6 kgF at harvest stage. The starch content of fruit sap was much higher in the fruits of early development stage than the later stage of fruit ripening. In 'Wonhwang' pears, the starch level decreased coincide with fruit ripening (130 DAFB), while that of 'Whasan' decreased from very early stage of fruit development (120 DAFB), 30 days before full ripe. 'Whasan' pear showed much lower acidity level of about 0.13% during fruit development and ripening period compared with that of 'Wonhwang'. Therefore, the ratio of soluble solids to total acidity (TSS/acid) increased gradually with fruit development and ripening, reaching a final level of 80 and 98 in 'Wonhwang' and 'Whasan', respectively. There were no climateric rise of fruit respiration during fruit ripening periods in two oriental pear cultivar. The changes of skin color difference including hunter vale a* which means loss of green color occurred only after onset of ripening in two cultivars.