Keywords
dry matter content
oil content
harvest index
aguacate hass
contenido de materia seca
contenido de aceite
índice de cosecha
How to Cite
Abstract
The objective of this research was to study whether avocado dry matter content (DMC) could be used as an appropriate harvest index in substitution of fruit oil content (OC), for Hass avocados grown in intermediate elevation areas (1750 masl) at Los Santos geographical region, Costa Rica. A total of 2000 pollinated flowers were tagged in 100 trees after fruit set. Thirty five fruits were evaluated each week, from week 31 to 44. It was found that both, OC and DMC, showed a rapid and significant increase after week 39 (p≥0.05), with a correlation coefficient between them of 0.92. Other observed simultaneous changes, related to fruit ripening, were the development of skin purple color (covering 74% of the surface area), the reduction of the adherence of the seed coat to the fruit pulp, and of the skin and seed to the pulp, as well as the decrease of the fruit firmness, from 118 N during the 31st week down to 57 N at week 40 and beyond. The use of 23% DMC in fruits is recommended as a harvest index for Hass avocado in Los Santos growing area, as an alternative to fruit oil content (OC).References
CAMPBELL C.W., MALO S. 1978. Review of methods for measuring avocado maturity in Florida. Procedings tropical region American Society Horticulture Science 2:58-64.
CERDAS M.M., UMAÑA G., SÁENZ A. 2010. Documento respaldo para la elaboración del Reglamento Oficial de Aguacate (Persea americana). Laboratorio Poscosecha, CIA, UCR. San José, C.R. 12 p.
CERDAS M.M., MONTERO M., DÍAZ E. 2006. Manual de manejo pre y poscosecha de aguacate (Persea americana). FITTACORI-UCR-CNP. Imprenta Nacional, San José, Costa Rica. 95 p.
GAZIT S., BLUMENFELD A. 1970. Response of Mature Avocado Fruits to Ethylene Treatments Before and After Harvest. Journal American Society Horticulture Science 95(2):229-231.
GÓMEZ V.M. 1998. Characterization of Avocado (Persea americana) Varieties of Very Low Oil Content. Journal Agricultural Food Chemical 46:3643-3647.
KRUGER F.J., CLAASSENS N.J.F., KRITZINGER M.Y., CLAASSENS V.E. 1999. A short review of recent research of the impact of climatic conditions on the postharvest quality of South African export avocados. Revista Chapingo. Serie Horticultura 58(5):339-345.
LEWIS C.E. 1978. The Maturity of avocados: a general review. Journal Science Food Agriculture 29:857-866.
MAZLIAK P. 1971. Avocado lipid constituents. Fruits 26(9):615-623.
OLAETA J.A., UNDURRAGA P. 1995. Estimación del índice de madurez en paltos, pp. 421-426. In: L.Kushwaha, R. Serwatowski and R. Brook eds. Tecnologías de cosecha y poscosecha de frutas y hortalizas. ASAE, Michigan.
PROCTOR A., MIESLE T. 1991. Polygalacturonase and pectinmethylesterase activities en developing highbush blueberries. HortScience 26(5):579-581.
TOIVONEN P., BEVERIDGE T. 2005. Maturity, Ripening and Quality Relationships, pp. 55-77. In: O. Lamikanra, S. Imam and D. Ukuku (eds.). Produce Degradation: Pathways and Prevention. Taylor & Francis.
WAISSBLUTH R., VALENZUELA J. 2007. Proceedings VI World Avocado Congress Actas VI Congreso Mundial del Aguacate. Determinación del porcentaje mínimo de materia seca para autorizar la cosecha de paltas cv. Hass para ser exportadas. Consultado: 21/08/2013. Disponible en http://www.avocadosource.com/WAC6/es/Extenso/5b-213.pdf
WOOLF A., WHITE A., ARPAIA M.L., GROSS K. 2004. Avocado, sp. In: USDA. The Commercial Storage of Fruits, Vegetables, and Florist and Nursery Stocks. Agriculture Handbook Number 66. Consultado:11/03/2013. Disponible en http:/www.ba.ars.usda.gov/hb66/034avocado.pdf
YAHÍA E. 2001. Manejo poscosecha del aguacate, pp. 295-304. In: Congreso Latinoamericano del Aguacate 2001, Michoacán, México. (Memorias) Michoacán, México.
Comments
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2016 Agronomía Costarricense