Sugars and organic acids in Japanese plums (Prunus salicinaLindell) as influenced by maturation, harvest date, storage temperature and period

Abstract

SummaryThe effects of fruit maturation, harvest date, storage temperature, storage period and shelf life, on the concentrations of individual sugars and organic acids in Japanese plums were investigated. During fruit maturation in ‘Amber Jewel’ plums, sucrose concentration increased significantly from 101 days after full bloom (DAFB) to 1 week after commercial maturity (136 DAFB) with a non‐significant change in the concentration of total organic acids and malic acid, the major organic acid. The changes in concentrations of sugars and organic acids during cold storage of ‘Amber Jewel’ plums harvested on 129 and 136 DAFB appeared to be independent of harvest date. Storage of ‘Amber Jewel’ plums at 5 °C accelerated the loss of sucrose and increased the concentrations of fructose and glucose from the 4th week of storage compared with those stored at 0 °C. ‘Blackamber’ plums did not undergo any significant increase in the total and individual sugars during 5 weeks storage and subsequent shelf‐life of 8 days at 20 °C. Malic acid concentrations declined during storage from 3 weeks onwards with a further substantial loss during ripening at 20 °C. Maturation, harvest date, storage temperature, storage period and shelf‐life affect the concentrations of sugars and organic acids in Japanese plums.