By: Dr. Parshant Bakshi, FHTHSAssociate Professor, Fruit Science–SKUAST - J

National Conference on: Temperate fruits and Nuts-A way forward for Enhancing Productivity and Quality on 6th to 9th November, 2015

Maturity indices for harvesting of low chilling peach cultivars

Contents

Flowering and Fruiting

Results

Conclusion

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Objective

Nutritional value

Introduction

Peaches should be harvested at optimum stage of maturity. A large number of maturity indices viz.,

days to maturity calendar date fruit sizefirmness sense of touch pit discoloration freeness of pit taste ground colour sugar

acidity sugar: acid ratioFor distant markets, peach should be harvested when it attain

good colour but is still hard and ripe, whereas for local consumption, tree ripe peaches are harvested by twisting with hand.

The peak harvesting period for different peach cultivars in hills is mid-May to mid-July.

Peaches ripen very fast as the harvesting season coincides with the prevailing high seasonal temperature.

Introduction

Very huge wastage occurs in India when all the peach produce is harvested without considering the maturity of fruit. Low chilling peach has high prospect for its cultivation in the North Indian condition, so there is an urgent need to standardize the maturity indices of its cultivars for good quality fruit.

Maturity at harvest is the most important factor that determines storage-life and final fruit quality. Both immature and over mature fruits persist numerous problems during handling, storage and transportation.Picking up the fruits at correct stage of maturity is necessary or essential so as to facilitate proper ripening, distant transportation and maximum storage life.

Principle Nutrient Value

Principle Nutrient Value

Principle Nutrient Value

Energy 39 Kcal Vitamin C 6.6 mg Electrolytes

Carbohydrates 9.54 g Vitamin E 0.73 mg Sodium 0 mg

Protein 0.91 g Vitamin K 2.6 µg Potassium 190 mg

Total Fat 0.25 g Folates 4 µg

Cholesterol 0 mg Niacin 0.806 mg Minerals

Dietary Fiber 1.5 g Pyridoxine 0.025 mg Calcium 6 mg

Vitamins Pantothenic acid 0.153 mg Iron 0.25 mg

Vitamin A 326 IU Riboflavin 0.031 mg Magnesium 9 mg

Thiamine 0.028 mg Manganese 0.61 mg

Phyto-nutrients Zinc 0.17 mg

Carotene-ßCrypto-xanthin-ß

162 µg67 µg

Lutein-zeaxanthin

91 µg Copper 0.068 mg

Objectives

To standardize the maturity indices of important low chilling peach cultivars of Jammu region.

To To create awareness about the maturity indices of peach among the farmers both for catering the needs of export market and for marketing of produce in distant locations within the country.

To assist R & D programme by developing a promising tool for indicating the optimum harvest date for specific fruit crop for particular area. .

Materials and Methods

Research Farm, Uheywalla, SKUAST–J during 2012 and 2013. Three peach cultivars viz., Florda Prince, Early Grande and Shan-e-Punjab having age of 9-10 years One plant per replication; 03 replications of each cultivar. 20 fruits per treatment Fruit weight (g) was calculated by Indosaw digital balance Length (cm) and diameter (cm) of fruit was determined by Mitusyo digital vernier caliper. Fruit volume (cc) was determined by water displacement method. TSS (oBrix) recorded by Erma Hand refractometer. Acidity (%), sugars (%) and ascorbic acid (mg/l00g pulp) of fruits were determined according to A.O.A.C. (1994). Statistical Analysis by using Panse and Sukhatme (2000)

Flowering and Fruiting

Fruits of different peach cultivars at harvesting maturity stage

Fig. 1. Periodic changes in physical characteristics of peach cv. Florda Prince

Fig. 2. Periodic changes in chemical characteristics of peach cv. Florda Prince

Sca

le

Fig. 3. Periodic changes in physical characteristics of peach cv. Early Grande

Fig. 4. Periodic changes in chemical characteristics of peach cv. Early Grande

Fig. 5. Periodic changes in physical characteristics of peach cv. Shan-e-Punjab

Harvesting dates

Fig. 6. Periodic changes in chemical characteristics of peach cv. Shan-e-Punjab

Awareness programme on MI of peach

Maturity at harvest is the most important factor that determines storage-life and final fruit quality.

Fruits picked either too early or too late in their season are more susceptible to post harvest physiological disorders than

fruit picked at the proper maturity.

The level of maturity actually helps in selection of storage methods, estimation of shelf life, selection of processing

operations for value addition etc.

Conclusion

Name of fruit Cultivar Harvesting date

Florda Prince Last week of April

Peach Early Grande Last week of April

Shan-e-Punjab 2nd week of May

Acknowledgement

The authors are highly thankful to Dr. Nazeer Ahmed, Nodal Officer HTM (MM-1) for providing funding under

the project entitled “Determination of quality and harvest maturity for commercially grown fruit crops in

Jammu sub-tropics”

To Contact

Call: 00-91-9419101601

Email: parshantskuastj@gmail.com

Website: www.krishisandesh.com

http://skuast.org/site/Templates%20HTML/foa/fruitscience-img/2.pdf

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