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Fruticulture (page 1 of 3)

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The value losses of cling peaches processed for halves are generated by lower industrial efficiency, by the presence of undesirable attributes, including inadequate maturity level, presence of pit-splitting, and low caliber of units. In order to analyze the effect of fruit size and maturity level on the losses during the pitting and lye peeling, two trials were carried out with Riegels variety peaches. OMIP knife pitters were used, previously separating fruits into three size categories: “small”, “medium” and “large”. The incidence of maturity level in both processes was determined, according to a maturity level grouping: “consistent”, with flesh firmness measured in the fruit cheeks between 7 and 10 Lbf, and “overripe” fruits, with less than 6 Lbf. The percentage losses in the pitting and peeling processes with lye were inversely proportional to the fruit size. During pitting, the overripe fruits suffered greater losses than the consistent ones and in the peeling process with lye, the overripe halves had a greater loss, which was constant, for the three size categories. The results require an exhaustive analysis of the farm-factory interfase and the objective determination of harvest maturity, which mainly defines the quality of raw material and industry efficiency.

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Blackberries are fruits of great commercial value, but at the same time highly fragile and with reduced shelf-life. Their extreme fragility and susceptibility to mechanical deterioration justifies the need to deepen into technological alternatives that allow prolonging their useful life. The use of edible coatings emerges as a promising alternative to preserve the postharvest quality of blackberries. Natural additives such as antimicrobials, antioxidants, firmness agents or bioactive ingredients can be added into them in order to increase safety and maintain the sensory, nutritional and functional characteristics of minimally processed fruits. The objective of this work was to evaluate the quality of blackberries (Rubus fructicosus var Ouchita) from the first harvest (December) and their behavior during the postharvest, after applying chitosan, alginate and alginate coatings with the addition of vanillin, as an alternative to maintain the quality of the fruits. The first stage of the work was carried out analyzing the fruits at the time of harvest and during 14 days of refrigerated storage without the application of coatings, in order to determine their useful life. In addition, physicochemical and nutritional quality parameters (firmness, soluble solids, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid retention, total polyphenols and antioxidant capacity) were evaluated at 0, 4, 7, 11 and 14 days of storage. Microbiological quality, sensory acceptability and fungal deterioration were also evaluated. In a second stage of the experimental design, the blackberries were treated with different edible coatings and stored under refrigeration (5ºC) to determine their useful life, performing the previously detailed determinations. The results obtained indicated that active edible coatings could be considered as a potential alternative for postharvest preservation that allows maintaining the quality attributes of blackberries and prolonging their marketing period; however, even more research is required to be able to be transferred to fruit and vegetable producers.

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Food quality studies are important to verify authenticity and investigate foreign matter. The objective of this work focused on applying the characters of diagnostic value of the fruits of papaya, fig, mango and tree tomato, for botanical quality control and comparing the labeling of derived products with current legislation. 23 products (industrial and artisanal) acquired in San Salvador de Jujuy were analyzed using scraping micrographic techniques, mild dissociation and combined histochemical reactions. Diagnostic characters (polygonal epidermal cells, tecting hairs, glandular hairs, fibers, sclereids, crystals, laticiferous tubes, starch grains, lipid droplets and seminal hairs) were identified in jams, jelly, sweets, chutney, artisanal wine, candied foods and fig coffee which confirm the presence of the raw material, in correspondence with the specifications of the Argentine Food Code (Chapter V). Of the industrial products, 70% were genuine and 30% were contaminated, while in artisanal products, 92% were genuine and 8% were contaminated. Regarding labeling, 70% of the industrial products met the specifications and 30% did not. On the other hand, only 31% of the artisanal products met the specifications, while the remaining 69% did not. The micrographic method constitutes a reliable strategy to confirm the added value that said quality implies in local preparations in the province of Jujuy.

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The phenology of fruit trees allows us to understand their adaptive responses to the environment. The almond tree is widely cultivated, spreading through the incorporation of new plant materials, as is the case with late flowering cultivars in the arid regions of the province of San Juan (Argentina). The objective was to analyze the phenological and agronomic responses of Marinada, Tarraco and Vairo cultivars under arid environmental conditions in San Juan. Phenological stages were recorded using the BBCH scale and agronomic characteristics were evaluated by measuring trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA), linear floral density (FD) and fruit yield. The study was carried out in the experimental field of INTA EEA San Juan. The cultivars differed significantly in phenological stages during the period 2016 to 2021. Flowering (from start to finish) occurs between August and September, first in the cv. Vairo, then in the cv. Marinada and finally in the cv. Tarraco. FD differed significantly between cultivars since 2017, with higher mean values in Marinada and Vairo cultivars compared to Tarraco. TCSA differed significantly between cultivars only in the first crop cycles. The cv. Tarraco has problems in fruit set and/or fruit growth. Fruit ripening of the cultivars Vairo and Marinada ends in February. Cultivars Vairo and Marinada have higher fruit yields than cv. Tarraco. Leaf fall and winter dormancy in cultivars Vairo, Marinada and Tarraco were recorded from May onwards. Marinada, Tarraco and Vairo almond trees cultivars (during 5th and 6th year of field) needed between 685 HF and 857 HF (direct method) until the break of winter dormancy (from May to July).

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This work aimed to evaluate the dormancy intensity of reproductive and vegetative buds of ‘SCS444 Nicoleto’ peach cultivar, in different months, in an orchard located on the southern coast of the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. One-year old branches of adult plants were collected in the middle of March, April, May, June and July and submitted to 0, 150, 300 and 450 chill hours below 7.0 oC, with subsequent forcing to 25.0 oC. The percentage of branches with open flower, lateral and terminal vegetative buds and the average time for sprouting (TMB) of the first open bud of each type were recorded. Without supplementary chill, all types of buds presented a decreasing TMB with average values ​​from 29 to 7 days from March to July, with the reproductive buds presenting a lower TMB than the lateral vegetative buds in all months. The most intense endodormancy was recorded in the month of May. From the results obtained, a simplified typification of the hibernal rest period in the year analyzed was suggested, with a paradormancy/induction phase being followed by an endodormancy phase and, finally, ecodormancy. Full bloom in the experimental orchard took place on July 25th, ten days before vegetative sprouting. This anticipation of flowering may be related to two phenological characteristics observed in this work: the more superficial endodormancy of reproductive buds and their lower heat requirement during ecodormancy.

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High solar radiation promotes stress conditions in apple plants[Malus domestica (Suckow) Borkh.],which can be attenuated using sunburn suppressants products. Generally, the effect of sun protection agents has been analyzed using univariate techniques. The aim of the present study was to characterize, through multivariate statistical analysis, the effect of CaCO3-based sunburn suppressants on quality variables of 'Braeburn' apples. The experiment was conducted under a completely randomized design with three treatments (T=control, A=CaCO3, B=CaCO3+ZnO) and four replicates. Each treatment was sprayed four times: A, 2% w v-1; B, 5% w v-1 for the first application and 2.5% w v-1 for the three remaining ones. At harvest, sunburn degree and, in non-affected fruit, size and maturity indices were determined. Three groups (G) were distinguished. G1 consisted of T fruit and was characterized by lower fruit weight, more severe sun damage proportion of fruits, and an advanced maturity. G2 encompassed A and T fruit and showed intermediate characteristics between G1 and G3. G3 consisted of B fruit and showed higher weight, less severe sun damage, and lower maturity. Multivariate analysis allowed visualizing the effect of CaCO3-based formulations on fruit several quality variables simultaneously. We conclude that application of CaCO3 decreased severe sunburn, increased fruit weight, and delayed fruit maturity at harvest. Further research is needed to elucidate the physiological, biochemical and oxidative mechanisms mediating the effects of foliar CaCO3 applications on apple fruit.

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Passiflora edulis Sims, “maracuyá” (passion fruit), is a globally consumed tropical fruit that can be eaten raw (fresh) or processed. The aim of the current work is to establish its micrographic diagnostic values, permitting botanical quality control to be carried out of commercial products derived from the fruits, thereby incorporating added value. Micrographic techniques were applied such as mild dissociation (5% NaOH at 100° for 5 min), scraping and a histochemical reaction with dissolution of Lugol for starch. The micrographic features found were unicellular, conical, rigid hairs wide at the base (70.75 µm), groups of irregular-shaped sclereids (25.08 µm), clusters of calcium oxalate (17.17 µm), thickened parenchymal cells and starch grains (8.37 µm), the final item comprising a complementary reference used only when no thermal actions were involved in product elaboration. Columnar sclereids are also present in the seeds. Most of the products presented botanical quality, with the exception of one in which characters of diagnostic value of the fruit of the pear were identified. These are indispensable characters for verifying the true nature of foods made with "passion fruit".

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The osmotic dehydration (DO) of European plum (Prunus domestica L.) cv. President combined with a final stage of hot-air drying (SAC) at 70°C to a final humidity of 20% wet basis was studied. The fresh fruits were pitted and cut into 8 wedges, and then immersed in sucrose solutions of different concentrations (C: 40, 50 and 60 º Brix) during different times (t: 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min). The kinetics of the process was evaluated through monitoring the content of soluble solids (SS) and moisture (M), weight variation (WR), soluble solids gain (SG) and water loss (WL). The analysis of the variance (a = 0.05) showed the effect of t on WL and SG, as well as the influence of the interaction t´C on WR. Using the response surface methodology (RSM), the predictive polynomials of the main variables WL and SG were obtained. The optimization performed by means of desirability analysis applied to maximize WL determined the stationary points t=113 min, C=59.9 °Brix, exactly matching the optimum for SG maximization, thus defining the optimum conditions for maximum dehydration and incorporation of sugars that contribute to product conservation.

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In order to improve the quality of stone fruit propagation material, the San Pedro Experiment Station began a program of diagnosis and monitoring of its collections, in order to know its status regarding  three Ilarvirus and one Potyvirus, and to identify healthy varieties. The diagnosis was made using the DAS-ELISA technique, with the recommended protocol for the corresponding kits. Samples were analyzed in duplicate and the results were read on a Multiskan MS Labysistem reader. Absorbance readings (A 405) greater than three times the mean of the healthy controls were considered positive. Consistent composite samples of 8 leaves / 2 plants / variety selected from the four main branches were analyzed. PNRSV had an approximate average incidence of 30%, in the different collections monitored. PDV and ApCLSV were detected in less than 5%. No varieties or hybrids were affected by PPV or ApMV. 38 varieties of peach, 25 of nectarine and 37 of plum were negative to the analyzed viruses.

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The cultivation of strawberries (Fragaria ananassa Duch.) is carried out in Coronda and La Costa Areas in the province of Santa Fe (Argentina), where there are also numerous agroindustries dedicated to the processing of the fruit. The object of the following study focuses on analysing the evolution in the cultivation of strawberries in the different production areas, in order to know the aspects that have defined it, as well as its relationship with other local crops. Census information from a survey of strawberry producers in the period 1994-2015 was used. A survey in 2014 recorded 103 producers in Coronda and 38 in the Coast. The introduction of innovative technologies such as varieties, macrotunnels, specific treatments, among other technologies has enabled a significant increase in productivity, from 2,000 kg ha-1 to 60,000 kg ha-1 between 1964 and 2014.