Post-Harvest Quality Evaluation of "Soreli" Kiwifruit at Two Ripening °Brix Values from Vineyards of Different Age Under Hail Nets.

Claudia Grasso,Rinaldo Botondi,Roberto Forniti

doi:10.3390/foods11030431

Abstract

The application of anti-hail nets is a practice that has been employed for a long time on different fruit and vegetable cultivations and in different fields of the world. In this work, we checked the effects of shading with white anti-hail nets on the post-harvest quality of “Soreli” kiwifruit collected at two different °Brix (7–8 and 8–9) from vineyards of two different ages (8 and 9 years) and stored at 1 °C for 90 days. It was observed that during the storage, the firmness and color parameters (L*, a*, b*, and Chroma) and the SSC content were generally higher in kiwifruit samples harvested in open field than in those under the nets. Regarding the bioactive compounds, the open field samples showed higher values in total flavonoids content during storage, and the content of carotenoids and chlorophylls in fruits grown in open fields was higher from 30–45 days up to the end of the storage. In contrast, the polyphenols and ascorbic acid values of fruits in open fields and under the nets showed a similar evolution of the values from 45 to 60 days. In general, the early and late harvest time based on the °Brix values and the different ages of the kiwifruit plants under the nets did not affect the quality parameters.

Highlights

IntroductionBehind China, Italy is the second/third producer of kiwifruit of the world, together with New Zealand
Today, behind China, Italy is the second/third producer of kiwifruit of the world, together with New Zealand.In Italy, the cultivation of kiwifruit began in the seventies and spread in the regions of the Centre-North, characterized by humid temperate climate
At the end of the trial, the soluble solid content (SSC) values of fruits harvested in open field (OF) were about 3–4 ◦Brix higher than those of fruits covered by white nets

Summary

Introduction

Behind China, Italy is the second/third producer of kiwifruit of the world, together with New Zealand. In Italy, the cultivation of kiwifruit began in the seventies and spread in the regions of the Centre-North, characterized by humid temperate climate. Kiwifruit vines are very sensitive to direct damage caused by hail in several countries [1], including in Italy [2]. Kiwifruit plants, due to their location, are more and more exposed to adverse weather conditions (wind, frost, and solar irradiation) as well as to attacks by insects (bugs), pathogenic bacteria, and moulds In these last years, it is important to report the onset of new diseases affecting the cultivation of kiwifruit, such as “kiwifruit vine decline syndrome, or KVDS”, usually associated with excessive precipitation/irrigation both in spring and in summer [5]

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