Abstract
In order to ascertain physicochemical and nutraceutical attributes, indigenous guava (Psidium guajava L.) cultivars were comprehensively characterized. Eight cultivars namely Gola, Chota Gola, Surahi, Choti Surahi, Sufaida, Sdabahar, Lal Badshah and Karela were selected due to their climatic adaptability and commercial suitability. All the cultivars showed significant variations in terms of their studied quality attributes. Amongst physical characteristics, Gola exhibited highest (79.9 mm3) GMD with lowest (50.3 mm3) was estimated in Choti Surahi. Insignificant varietal differences were observed in most of the proximate parameters as well as in mineral contents. Nutraceutical estimations showed significant variation in ascorbic acid (222.26-289.43 mg/100 g), total phenolic contents (94.06-190.64 mg GAE/100 g), total flavonoid contents (81.30-154.19 mg QE/100 g) and radical scavenging activity (27.70-78.15%) in the selected cultivars. A highly significant correlation (R2 = 0.9970 p < 0.05) was observed between ascorbic acid and radical scavenging activity. In sensory evaluation, Gola received over all maximum scores (8.8) amongst its counterparts. Processed data were then analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA). The combination of PCA and HCA yielded in a sufficient discrimination of the examined guava cultivars. In PCA analysis, first two PCA components explained 65.98% of the total variation. Dendrogram successfully classified the tested cultivars into three major groups featuring dissimilarities amongst the cultivars. Research outcome will provide baseline for the farmers, researchers, exporters and other stalk holders to realize the ultimate potential of indigenous guava cultivars for their appropriate commercial utilization.
Highlights
Guava (Psidium guajava L.) a member of Mytraceae family is an important commercial fruit crop of tropics
The results pertaining to physicochemical characterization of eight indigenous guava cultivars are shown in Table 1 which shows significant variability amongst the tested attributes
Indigenous Pakistani guava cultivars have historically been named by the growers according to their physical dimensions for example Gola and Surahi having round to pear shape fruit, respectively (Mehmood et al, 2014)
Summary
Guava (Psidium guajava L.) a member of Mytraceae family is an important commercial fruit crop of tropics. Amongst fruit crops of Pakistan, guava occupies 3rd position after citrus and mango with the annual production of 0.586 million tones and carries biannual bearing (Government of Pakistan, 2018). As “poor man’s apple of tropics” guava truly happens to be the fruit for masses in terms of its commercial availability (Hassan et al, 2012). Nutritionists often characterize it under “super-fruits” owing to its diversified bioactive compounds and remarkable antioxidant activity (Joseph & Priya, 2011). It can offer four times more vitamin-C than an orange (Hassimotto et al, 2005). Guava is generally consumed as a fresh fruit; multiple value added products; as jelly, jam, juices, guava leather, wine, freeze-dried and dehydrated slices are being prepared on industrial scale
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