Rind Scarring Caused by Biotic and Abiotic Factors Influences Kinnow Fruit Quality

Abstract

The relationship between rind scarring [caused by Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes), Scirtothrips citri (Moulton) and wind] and physiochemical parameters was studied in three main kinnow producing zones of Punjab (Abohar, Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur), India. The results showed a nonsignificant increase in TSS value with increase in rind damage (caused by mites + thrips + wind) upto 50% but later on it was significantly decreased with increase in damage from 50 to 100%. Other parameters like vitamin C, phenols (pulp and peel), pectin, total carotenoids and fruit firmness were decreased with the increment in damage and lowest values were observed in 100% damaged fruits but the titrable acidity and sugars (non reducing, reducing & total sugar) parameters were not affected by rind scarring. The wind damaged fruits showed noncomparable data for all studied physiochemical parameters which indicated that wind doesn’t affect the fruit quality. It may also be concluded that only thrips and mites are responsible for deterioration of kinnow fruits quality.