Peel Weight Research Articles

Effect of Foliar Spray of Micro - Nutrients on Fruit Growth and Yield of Guava (Psidium guajava L.) cv. Lalit

Aim: To examine the effect of foliar spray of micro - nutrients on fruit growth and yield of guava (Psidium guajava L.) cv. Lalit. Study Design: The Randomized Block Design (RBD) experimental design was used. Place and Duration of Study: An experiment was carried out during Hasth Bahar flowering seasons of 2021-22 and 2022-23 at Horticulture Research Farm of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University. Methodology: There were nineteen treatments with three replication. The variety selected for experiment was Lalit. Results: The foliar application of Borax 0.2%+Zinc 0.4% was found to be the best treatment in improving the morphological characteristics of guava such as fruit length (8.59 cm), fruit width (8.6cm), fruit volume (169.09 cm), fruit weight (174.99 g), peel weight (17.13g), pulp weight (155.32g),number of seed per fruit (212.49),seed weight per fruit (2.53g), seed weight kg per plant (1.23 kg), pulp and seed ratio (61.29) and specific gravity (1.03 g cc-1) of guava fruit. Conclusion: On the basis of the result obtained in the present investigation, it is concluded the combined foliar application of Borax 0.2%+Zinc 0.4% (T11). Therefore, combined spray Borax 0.2%+Zinc 0.4% (T11) can be advocated to guava growers for maximum growth and yield parameters of guava.

Stability of fruit ripening traits of banana (Musa species) across postharvest environments

Banana (Musa species) is the fourth most important export crop worldwide after cereals, oil crops and sugar. In spite of this socio-economic significance, the crop suffers massive postharvest losses caused by mechanical fruit damage, limited infrastructure for fruit ripening, postharvest diseases and physiological disorders. Although use of optimum postharvest environments such as packaging and storage temperatures can reduce fruit loss and improve ripening quality; information regarding the interaction between varieties and postharvest environments and stability of fruit ripening traits across postharvest environments is limited. The objectives of this study were to determine the magnitude of interaction of varieties with postharvest environments on fruit ripening traits and to identify stable banana variety for ripening across postharvest environments. Seven commonly grown banana varieties (Dwarf Cavendish, William I, Grand Naine, Poyu, Giant Cavendish, Butazu and Local variety) were laid out in a completely randomized design with five replications in ten varied postharvest environments. The result indicated that pulp and peel ratio had negative high principal component one (PCA1) score whereas the PCA1 score for postharvest period, peel weight and fruit weight were positive and high. Cluster analysis grouped Dwarf Cavendish and Grand Naine; Poyu and Butazu varieties together for postharvest traits whereas the local variety was clustered separately. This study has demonstrated that hybridization of local with the introduced varieties can be done to improve postharvest traits. AMMI depicted significant variation for genotype, postharvest environments and their interactions for all traits. The magnitude of environmental effect was higher than the genotype and interaction effects. AMMI and GGE biplot analyses identified Gran Naine, Poyu and William I as consistent for ripening traits across postharvest environments.

Freeze-dried pulp and peel from pitahaya (Selenicereus undatus): physicochemical properties and potential source of fructooligosaccharides

The pitahaya Selenicereus undatus is a fruit widely consumed in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, and its cultivation is promising due to its adaptability to adverse climatic conditions, its nutritional quality, and its bioactive compounds. The objective of this work was to determine the physical parameters of the fresh fruit (weights and diameters) and chemical parameters of the pulp (stored at -18 ºC) of pitahaya grown in two locations in the state of Yucatán, as well as to estimate the yield of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) present in freeze-dried pulp and peel flour, using the solid/liquid extraction method. Six physicochemical and six proximal descriptors (in freeze-dried pulp and peel), which were statistically compared using the t-student test, were quantified. The fruits had an average weight of 534.81 and 520.36 g for the pitahaya grown in Kinchil and Yobain, respectively. The peel weight of the fruit from Kinchil was significantly (p < 0.05) higher. The pulp represented between 67 – 72 % of the weight of the fruits. The physicochemical analysis of the fruit pulp indicated that the average total soluble solids/titratable acidity (TSS/TA) ratio was 20.5, and the pH was 3.29. The proximal analysis expressed on a dry basis (% d.b.) showed average values for the pulp of 4.80 % ash, 0.47 % crude fat, 10.42 % crude fiber, and 6.92 % protein; while for the peel 14.20 % ash, 1.39 % crude fat, 22.22 % crude fiber, and 5.31 % protein. The values of crude fiber and total carbohydrates in the peel, as well as the crude fat content in the pulp, were different (p < 0.05) between the locations. The estimated extraction yield of FOS with water was 86.49 g/kg for the freeze-dried pulp and 17.64 g/kg for the freeze-dried peel flour. This fruit exhibited good nutritional properties, and the freeze-dried flour from its peel could be used as supplement rich in dietary fiber and, together with the freeze-dried pulp, could be added to products such as juices, yogurt, and jams, among others, with a potential prebiotic effect due to its fructooligosaccharides content.

Phenotypic Diversity of Pomegranate Cultivars: Discriminating Power of Some Morphological and Fruit Chemical Characteristics

In modern agricultural production, where a small number of commercial cultivars dominate, the collection, evaluation, and preservation of germplasm are important tasks to reduce the erosion of genes and preserve biodiversity. The aim of this study is to characterize the morphological and fruit chemical properties of the pomegranate germplasm grown on the East Adriatic coast, including the commercial cultivars ‘Hicaznar’, ‘Granada’, and ‘Wonderful’, and to highlight the characteristics with the greatest discriminating power. The characterization of the tree, leaf, flower, arils, seed, and juice was carried out using the UPOV descriptor. The colors of the peel, arils, and juice were analyzed according to the CIEL*a*b* method, total soluble solids were measured using refractometers, and total acidity was determined by titration with 0.1 M NaOH. The research results showed significant diversity between the cultivars, which were grouped into several clusters using an unsupervised analysis technique. Factors such as plant vigor, plant growth habit, predominant number of leaves per node on young shoots, crown type, fruit shape, fruit shape in cross-section, peel weight, total aril weight, aril weight, number of arils per fruit, seed length and width, seed yield, total acidity, TSS/TA ratio, and color parameters of the peel, arils, and juice showed high variability, indicating their strong discriminating power in determining the phenotypic diversity of pomegranate.

Aspergillus awamori MK788209 cellulase: production, statistical optimization, pea peels saccharification and textile applications

BackgroundThe demand for low-cost cellulolytic enzyme synthesis is rising in the enzyme market. This work aims to produce cellulase by utilizing various agricultural wastes and investigating the use of enzyme in saccharification and textile industries.ResultsSolid state fermentation (SSF) was applied to produce industrial enzymes, particularly cellulase, through utilizing Molokhia (Corchorus olitorius) stems by Aspergillus awamori MK788209 isolate. Two stages of statistical factorial designs Plackett-Burman (PB) and Central Composite Design (CCD) were applied to enhance the A. awamori MK788209 cellulase production from Molokhia stems (MS). The fold increase of enzyme production by PB followed by CCD was 2.51 and 4.86, respectively. Additionally, the A. awamori MK788209 culture filtrate was highly effective in saccharifying various agricultural wastes, particularly pea peels (PP) (yielding 98.33 mg reducing sugar/ml), due to its richness in cellulase, laccase, xylanase, pectinase, and amylase. By optimizing the three main variables; pea peel weight, culture filtrate volume added, and saccharification time by CCD, the sugar recovery from PP was enhanced, leading to a 3.44-fold increase in reducing sugar recovery (338 mg reducing sugar /ml). Furthermore, the A. awamori MK788209 culture filtrate showed high efficacy in textile applications, enhancing the roughness, weight loss, white index, and printing capability of treated cotton fabrics.ConclusionsA. Awamori MK788209 produced cellulase which was effective in PP saccharification. The enzyme was also capable of enhancing cotton fabric properties.

Morphological Diversity of an Underutilized and Wild Edible Fruit (Cordia) Species in Three Districts of Bastar Region of Chhattisgarh, India

The multipurpose deciduous tree Cordia dichotoma belongs to the family Boraginaceae and it is variously called as Glueberry, Goonda, Lasora and locally as ‘Bohaar’ in Bastar (Chhattisgarh). The diversity in morphological traits in Cordia species were marked and identified at different locations of three districts of Bastar region to assess phenotypic morphological variation and to estimate genotypic and phenotypic variability for various morphological traits of fruits for future use. The quantitative traits like fruit weight, length, and diameter are important quality traits in many horticultural crops are used in genetic diversity studies. The underutilized fruits are advantageous crops being hardy in nature and tolerate extreme climatic conditions and possess high potential to provide nutritional and social benefits. The present investigation is performed for the identification, morphological analysis and diversity exploration with respect to food value of underutilized and wild edible fruit Cordia dichotoma found in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. A Total of ten numbers of representative trees of Cordia species from each district were selected for morphological and silvicultural studies. It is found that genotype of Cordia has morphological variations in the region. Two species of Cordia i.e., Cordia obliqua and Cordia dichotoma were taken for the study. This study revealed that source/provenance Jagdalpur and Dantewada had Cordia species with better fruit size than district Kondagaon source, also morphological variations of Cordia species in different sources or provenance with respect to fruit fresh weight, pulp weight, peel weight, pulp and peel ratio revealed that Cordia dichotoma G. Forst has better fruit size and pulp percentage.

Acid-Catalyzed Organosolv Treatment of Potato Peels to Boost Release of Polyphenolic Compounds Using 1- and 2-Propanol

The current study aimed at developing an effective organosolv treatment, with the objective to obtain potato peel extracts highly enriched in polyphenols. To this end, two low-cost solvents were employed, 1- and 2-propanol, which are considered green, but they have been rather poorly studied compared to other conventional solvents, such as ethanol. Treatment development also embraced the use of sulfuric acid, a well-examined catalyst in organosolv processes. Treatment evaluation on the basis of response surface optimization and severity demonstrated that 1-propanol was a more effective solvent, providing a maximum yield in total polyphenols of 19.28 mg chlorogenic acid equivalents per g of dry potato peel weight, attained with 40% 1-propanol/1.5% (w/v) sulfuric acid at a treatment time of 60 min and a temperature of 90 °C. This treatment was of lower severity compared to the one with 2-propanol, and it also provided almost 24% higher total polyphenol yield. The extracts produced contained chlorogenic acid as the major constituent, accompanied by caffeic acid and minor amounts of p-coumaric acid. This is the first report on such an organosolv treatment of potato peels to recover polyphenolic compounds with high efficiency.

Impact of Different Packaging Materials on the Quality and Shelf Life of Kinnow Mandarin (Citrus reticulata)

The experiment carried out on the “Impact of Different Packaging Materials on The Quality and Shelf Life of Kinnow Mandarin (Citrus reticulata)".Under the study the packaging treatments include T1 (Control or no packaging), T2 (Fruits packed in Newspaper), T3 (Fruits wrapped in Brown paper bags), T4 (Fruits packed in Aluminium Foil), T5 (Fruits wrapped in LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene), T6 (Fruits packed in Rice stubble), T7 (fruits packed in Perforated boxes), T8 (Fruits packed in Gunny bags), T9 (Fruits packed in Nylon net bags). The main objective of the experiment was to evaluate the effect of various packaging materials on physico-chemical characteristics of Kinnow fruit during storage. The physico-chemical evaluation of the fruits of each treatment was done upto 24 days and all the observations were recorded at every 6 days interval. The Fruit Weight, Polar Diameter, Radial Diameter, Peel weight having the decreasing trend, the highest mean was found in T5 during storage which were (151.70), (57.58), (59.11), (36.08) respectively. The TSS(0Brix) and pH were recorded lowest in the fruits packed in T5 during storage which were (10.45) and (4.02) respectively. Specific gravity of fruits had decreasing trend during storage period and found highest (0.86) in T5 at 24 days while ascorbic acid and titrable acidity had decreasing trend and mean values was found highest (17.89) and (0.89) in T5 respectively during storage. On basis of study results shown by physico-chemical characteristics of kinnow, it was concluded that kinnow fruits packed in T5 LDPE packing has highest overall acceptability at 24 days of storage. These practices may be passed on for obtaining higher returns with B:C ratio of 2.39.

Comparative Analysis of Primary and Secondary Metabolites in the Peel of Eight Blood Orange Varieties

The global cultivation of blood oranges is experiencing an increase due to their remarkable nutritional properties. Blood orange by-products, especially the peel, have a high concentration of bioactive compounds with exceptional antioxidant potential, making them an ideal choice for incorporation into various food products. This study aimed to determine the morphological parameters and primary and secondary metabolite content of peel of eight blood orange varieties using 1H NMR and HPLC-ESI-DAD-MSn. “Tarocco Meli” had the highest weight (367.83 g), caliber (94.13 mm and 88.87 mm), peel thickness (6.73 mm), and peel weight (155.0 g). “Tarocco Rosso”, “Sanguinelli”, and “Tarocco Gallo” had the highest levels of total amino acids (25.57 g kg−1 DW), total organic acids (29.99 g kg−1 DW), and total sugars (68.56 g 100 g−1 DW), respectively. The peel of “Moro” had significantly higher concentrations of total anthocyanins, hydroxycinnamic acids, and flavones (650.67, 263.33, and 449.85 mg kg−1, respectively) compared to the other varieties. In conclusion, “Tarocco Meli” had the most interesting values for morphological parameters, “Tarocco Rosso”, “Sanguinelli”, and “Tarocco Gallo” for primary metabolites, and “Moro” for secondary metabolites. With the increasing interest in utilizing co-products, these findings could be useful in developing functional food products that meet consumer demands for healthier and more sustainable food choices.

Field Evaluation of In Vitro Derived Mutants of Different Varieties of Banana on Fruit Quality Parameters

A field experiment was conducted on field evaluation of in vitro derived mutants of different varieties of banana during (October–September), 2018–19 and (September–August), 2019–20 at the Department of Fruit Science, College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India. The one thirty-eight (138) in vitro derived banana mutants both physical and chemical mutagens treated plants along with check were planted. The experiment was laid out in augmented block design with 6 blocks and 26 subplots each block having 23 in vitro mutant lines and three checks. The cultivars used for the experiment were viz., Yelakki bale, Rajapuri bale and Nanjangud rasabale. Among 138 in vitro derived mutants in plant crop, there was no significant difference noted in pulp weight, pulp to peel ratio and fruit firmness. Among different mutants in pulp weight parameter the maximum pulp weight was recorded in NR45Gy-09 (86.45 g), peel weight, RAJ45Gy-14 (20.00 g) pulp to peel ratio YB35Gy-05 (6.70) flavour acceptance, YB40Gy-03 (7.82) fruit firmness, YB40Gy-12 (18.82 N) and shelf life YB40Gy-14 (8.10 days). in ratoon crop, the maximum pulp weight was recorded in NR45Gy-09 (86.45 g), peel weight, RAJ45Gy-14 (25.00 g) pulp to peel ratio, YB35Gy-24 (7.36) flavour acceptance, RAJ45Gy-03 (7.48) fruit firmness, YB40Gy-11 (16.50 N) and shelf life YB45Gy-08 (9.00 days).

Studies on the Effect of Plant Growth Regulators on Physical Parameters of Sapota [Manilkara achras (Mill.) Forsberg] cv. Cricket Ball under Agro-climatic Condition of Chhattisgarh Plains

The present investigation was undertaken during the year July/2020-June/21 and July/2021- June/22 at experimental field of Horticulture Instructional Farm, Department of Fruit Science College of Agriculture, IGKV, Raipur (C.G.), India. The experiment was conducted on twenty years old trees of sapota, Cricket Ball with foliar spray of different concentrations of plant growth regulators applied at 50 per cent flowering and pea stage of fruit growth. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with twenty five treatments, and three replication for each treatment. Thus, a total of 75 data collection made available at each time. Physical parameters of fruit viz., fruit weight (126.36 g ±31.07g), fruit volume (121.59 ml ±29.07 ml), fruit diameter (6.69 cm ±1.33 cm), fruit length (6.92 cm ±2.01 cm) and pulp weight (112.61 g ± 2.01 g) of sapota fruits were increased with the treatment GA3 @ 150 ppm, while, the peel weight (8.79 g ± 1.72 g) was reduced under the same treatment. The specific gravity (1.045 g ± 0.015 gml-1) was recorded maximum under the treatment ethrel @ 1000 ppm. However, a reduction in number of seeds per fruit (4.50 ± 2.08) and seed weight (4.38 g ± 0.78 g) was observed by the foliar feeding of NAA @ 100 ppm treatment. The consumer demand, which is usually based on physical characteristics of sapota fruit, can be improved by the application of plant growth regulators. On the basis of the experience gained and results obtained after completion of present investigation, the most appropriate concentration and their time of application should be standardized for different cultivars of sapota.

Bright red passion fruit - evaluation of colorimetry and physicochemical quality for the fresh fruit market

The species Passiflora edulis Sims has varieties that produce fruits with colors that vary yellow to reddish purple and dark purple, all of which are well adapted to Brazil's varied climatic conditions. In the foreign market, demand is greatest for the variety Passiflora edulis f. edulis Sims, or pure purple passion fruit (gulupa), whose adaptation is more restricted to cool and upland regions. The Embrapa Cassava and Fruits research unit (Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura) generated a variety of passion fruit derived from P. edulis with reddish-purple fruits, aiming at the identification of genotypes with lower acidity and greater fruit sweetness to supply the fresh fruit market. A half-sib population of 83 P edulis genotypes, segregated for light red to purple and yellow color, was evaluated. For previous selection, the fruits were tested based on sweetness, and 67 genotypes were identified, while the other genotypes constituted the population of origin. Fruit weight, pulp and peel weight, juice yield, soluble solids content (SS), titratable acidity (TA) and SS/TA ratio were evaluated, in addition to colorimetric evaluation CIE-LAB (L*a*b*) . For physical traits, there was no significant difference between the pre-selected and original populations. For the chemical characteristics of the pulp, variation was observed only in titratable acidity (TA), which was 38% lower in the pre-selected population, resulting in a 43% increase in the SS/TA ratio. High correlations were not observed between the colorimetric parameters (L*, a* and b*) of the peel and pulp as well as TA and SS/TA. The heritability (h2) of the evaluated traits was high (66.40% to 86.25%), and 26 genotypes were chosen (ratio from 7.0 to 15.29) with 33.12% lower acidity and 39.84% higher ratio in the next selection cycle. These selected individuals are favorable to development of a passion fruit cultivar with sweeter flavor to supply the domestic and foreign fresh fruit markets.

Effect of Bunch Feeding on Yield Parameters of Banana cv. Grand Naine in Ratnanagar, Chitwan, Nepal

A field experiment consisting of bunch stalk feeding with different treatments on yield of banana cv. Grand Naine (G9) was conducted during 2022 in Ratnanagar-12, Jamunapur of Chitwan, Nepal. The experiment was laid in Random Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 7 treatments and 3 replications. Bunch fed with dipping the cut end in the combination of 500gm cow dung + 10g urea + 20g SOP + 15mg of GA3 + 100ml water resulted significantly higher finger length (20.36 cm), finger weight (0.18kg), finger diameter (36.28mm, bunch length (101.90 cm), bunch weight (32.37 kg), peel weight (19.05 g). and pulp weight (82.39 g) compared with control (without bunch stalk feeding). Thus, the research shows that the bunch feeding with 500gm cow dung, 10g urea, 20g SOP and 15mg of GA3 improves yield parameters of banana cv. Grand Naine.
 Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 11(1): 25-29.

Influence of Different Organic Sources of Nutrients on Yield and Quality of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cv. Bhagwa

A field experiment entitled, Influence of different organic sources of nutrients on yield and quality of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cv. Bhagwa. The current study was designed in RBD with three replications consisting of twenty-two treatments with four different organic manures viz., farmyard manure, vermicompost, poultry manure and neem cake as a source of nitrogen and recommended dose of manure and fertilizers based on plant age with or without biofertilizers (Azotobacter, PSB & KMB) and biopesticides (Trichoderma viride and and Paecilomyces lilacinus). The findings based on pooled data discovered that maximum number of fruits per plant (59.50), yield per plant (12.41 kg), yield per hectare (19.86 tonne), fruit weight (239.39 g), fruit diameter (7.55 cm), aril weight per fruit (147.70 g), juice content per fruit (97.55 ml), peel weight per fruit (91.69 g) along with peel: aril ratio (0.62) was significantly noted under treatment 100 % RDN through poultry manure + 50 ml PSB + 25 ml KMB + 5 g Trichoderma viride + 5 ml Paecilomyces lilacinus. The maximum net return (4,12,840/ha) and BCR (3.26) were also obtained in same treatment. Significantly maximum TSS (16.15°Brix), reducing sugar (14.44 %), non-reducing (2.04 %) and total sugar (16.48 %) along with minimum titrable acidity (0.41 %) were recorded with application of 37.5 % RDN through FYM + 37.5 % RDN through neem cake + 50 ml Azotobacter culture + 50 ml PSB + 25 ml KMB + 5 g Trichoderma viride + 5 ml Paecilomyces lilacinus treatment. Whereas, maximum ascorbic acid content (16.72 mg/100 ml juice) was significantly found under treatment 100 % RDN through FYM + 50 ml PSB + 25 ml KMB + 5 g Trichoderma viride + 5 ml Paecilomyces lilacinus.

Diversity, Abundance and Impact of Insect Visitors in Litchi chinensis Production

Litchi chinensis is the “queen of fruits”, and pollination is an essential requirement for fruit set and production. The present study was conducted in litchi orchards to study the diversity/abundance of insect visitors, the impact of pollination on quantitative parameters, and different modes of pollination. The results showed that 75 insect species during flowering were reported including Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, and Coleoptera. In natural pollination, the abundance of insect visitors of Hymenoptera was more during morning and evening (50.25% and 44.89%, respectively) compared to Lepidoptera (21.83 and 26.67%) and Diptera (24.37 and 23.33%). Similarly, natural pollination with one Apis mellifera colony also showed higher abundance of insect visitors of Hymenoptera during morning and evening (50.15 and 57.31%, respectively) as compared to Lepidoptera and Diptera. The Dipteran insect visitors under natural pollination showed significant positive correlation with temperature, wind speed and UV. The fruit/seed size, peel weight, juice pH, pulp weight, moisture, and total soluble solids were higher in natural pollination with A. mellifera. The percentage of fruit set and fruit weight (g) was significantly higher in natural pollination with A. mellifera (23.24 ± 1.40% and 1.60 ± 0.11 g, respectively). There was no fruit set observed in bagged panicles with nylon mesh.

Morpho-Physicochemical Studies Of Kusum (Schleichera Oleosa (Lour.) Oken): A Potential Multipurpose Tree Species

Kusum (Schleichera oleosa (Lour.) Oken) belongs to Sapindaceae family, is an underutilised multipurpose tree species. Kusum is also known as a lac tree through its cultivation for lac which gives livelihood security to lakhs of farmers. Botanically, kusum fruits are single-seeded and sometimes two-seeded berry, succulent yellow aril, dry indehiscent, apex pointed, hard-crustaceous, smooth, or slightly spiny. Pulp of kusum has a potential source of antioxidant properties. The present investigation was carried out to estimate physical and chemical properties of kusum at the laboratory of department of Fruit Science, Faculty of Horticulture, at Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal during 2021-22. A set of 30 fruits with 10 fruits per replication were taken for this experiment. It was observed that average fruit weight (7.41g), fruit length (2.5cm), diameter (2.19cm), fruit volume (7ml), fruit pulp weight (2.93g), seed weight (1.35g), and peel weight (2.71g), seed length (1.69cm), diameter (1.38cm) and edible fruit percentage was 39.54%. The results showed that it contains an average of 20.07 °Brix total soluble solids, 0.33% titrable acidity, 14.28% total sugar, 8% reducing sugar, 5.96 non-reducing sugar, 142.5 mg/100g of pulp ascorbic acid and total carotenoid 1.35 mg/100g pulp. The result shows that kusum fruit is a promising food source with nutritional value. This fruit could fulfil the dietary needs of persons living in rural areas.

EFFECT OF SMOKING AS POST-HARVEST TREATMENT ON THE RIPENING AND QUALITY OF BANANA (MUSA SP)

The application of smoke is a traditional practice to trigger the ripening process of banana. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different post-harvest treatment on the physiochemical properties of banana fruits. This experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications, which constituted the seven treatments viz. control, low density polyethylene bag, as well as 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 hours exposed to smoke. The results indicated that smoke treatment increased physiological weight loss and pulp weight during storage whereas decreased firmness, peel weight and dry matter content. Chemical parameters such as moisture, total soluble solid, and total sugar showed an increasing trend during the storage period, whereas acidity and vitamin C increased initially up to 5 days and declined thereafter during the ripening of the banana. Smoking for 18 hours resulted in uniform ripening with yellow coloration within 5 days, whereas untreated control fruits remained green for 5 days and ripened within 8 days after storage. The present study concludes that smoke treatment is a simple but quick means of banana ripening. Exposer of banana fruits to smoke for 18 hours produced better quality and improved the shelf life.

Morphological diversity of indigenous wild pomegranate (Punica granatum L. var. spinosa) accessions from northeast of Iran.

Wild pomegranate is a valuable edible species in the plant ecosystem of the Hyrcanian forests and the northern plains of the Caspian coast in Iran. The genetic diversity of these wild pomegranates can be effective in pomegranate breeding programs and germplasm conservation. In the present study, morphological diversity in 103 wild pomegranates (Punica granatum L. var. spinosa) in the northeastern area of Iran was studied using 46 traits related to trees, flowers, and fruits. The results showed that the fruit weight ranged from 17.93 to 99.9g with an average of 48.92 g, the total aril weight ranged from 0.54 g to 64.78 g with an average of 24.25 g, and the weight of 100 arils was between 4.89 and 46.21 with an average of 13.79. The fruit cracking percent, crown shape, aril juiciness, calyx, and corolla colors show a high coefficient of variation (CV > 70%). Based on PCA results, fruit weight and total aril weight, peel weight, and fruit length and diameter were important on determining differences among accessions. In biplot analysis, genotype distribution was determined by two main factors. In cluster analysis, the studied accessions were divided into two different major clusters and two subclusters in each one. The results showed a high diversity of important pomological traits in wild pomegranates such as fruit weight, fruit cracking percent, crown shape, total aril weight, aril juiciness corolla, and calyx color that can be used in breeding programs to improve pomegranate juice quality and marketability.

Climatic and Altitudinal Variation in Physicochemical Properties of Citrus sinensis in India

C. sinensis (L.) Osbeck is grown in large-scale, in-home gardens of traditional agroforestry systems in the Garhwal Himalaya. The present investigation of C. sinensis was conducted on the basis of twenty-six populations in different home gardens located in different geographical variables. The aim was to understand variations in physicochemical properties, viz., fruit weight, fruit length, fruit width, peel thickness, peel weight, juice sacks, juice weight, seeds/fruits, rudimentary seeds/fruits, seed weight, total soluble solids, citric acid, ascorbic acid and sugar content. The results of the study revealed that the physicochemical properties of C. sinensis were significantly varied among the populations. The fruit weight was the most variable among the morphological characteristics, and vitamin C among the nutritive parameters. The average fruit weight varied from 96.64 to 296.86 g/fruit. The other study traits were found to oscillate between 7.73 and 12.76 °Brix (total soluble solids); 3.04 and 5.96% (citric acid); 31.45 and 86.45 mg/g−1 (vitamin C) and 4.65 and 9.27% soluble sugar. Geographical variables (altitude, latitude and longitude, temperature and rainfall) have influenced the physicochemical parameters of C. sinensis significantly. Amongst the physicochemical properties, fruit weight and vitamin C were the most variable parameters and could be used for the improvement of C. sinensis. These variations in the C. sinensis population have enabled great advances in better understanding the variability in the physicochemical properties of fruit and response to biotic and abiotic stresses.

Identification of Suitable Budwood Source through Quality Assessment of Avocado (Persea americana Mill.)

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is gaining increasing global appeal and has received massive marketing and distribution due to its significant nutritional benefits for human health. There is little or no history on how the fruit was introduced into the country. However, raising suitable planting materials continues to be a challenge. Thus, the study sought to identify suitable budwood sources through fruit quality assessments. Mature, bruised-free fruits were harvested from five different trees at New Koforidua in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The experimental design for this study was a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five replicates. Twenty-five fruits were selected from each tree for data collection and fruit analysis. The parameters studied were the physical properties (fruit weight, fruit firmness, seed weight, pulp weight, peel weight, fruit length and fruit diameter) and chemical properties [chemical composition, pH, total titratable acids (TTA) and total soluble solids (TSS)]. A sensory analysis was also conducted. The statistics were subjected to the Statistix version 10 and the means were separated using the LSD at an alpha level of 0.01. Significant differences were found in the seed weight, pulp weight, fruit length and diameter respectively, at an alpha value (p≤0.01) with “tree F” showing the highest recordings (92.03±5.57) for seed weight, (267.84±569) for pulp weight, (13.90±0.32) for fruit length and (8.44±0.12) for diameter, respectively. There was a progressive reduction in the fruit weight and fruit firmness over a period of seven and five days, respectively. There was a significant difference in the TSS and TTA at an alpha value of 0.01 with treatment J and treatment H recording the highest values of (0.36±0.02) and (1.18±0.07), respectively. The study showed that fruits of treatment F possess superior qualities than the rest of the varieties and can be a suitable budwood source.