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Fruit variability and relationships between color and harvest and quality during storage of Uapaca Kirkiana (Muell. Arg.) Fruit from natural woodlands

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dc.contributor.author Mhango, Jarret
dc.contributor.author Kadzere, Ireen
dc.contributor.author Watkins, Chris B.
dc.contributor.author Merwin, Ian A.
dc.contributor.author Akinnifesi, Festus K.
dc.contributor.author Saka, John D. K.
dc.date.accessioned 2022-11-28T19:01:17Z
dc.date.available 2022-11-28T19:01:17Z
dc.date.issued 2006
dc.identifier.citation Mhango, J., Kadzere, I., Watkins, C. B., Merwin, I. A., Akinnifesi, F. K. Saka, J. D. K, (2006). Fruit variability and relationships between color and harvest and quality during storage of Uapaca Kirkiana (Muell. Arg.) Fruit from natural woodlands. Hortscience, 41(2), 352-356. https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/41/2/article-p352.xml en_US
dc.identifier.uri https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/41/2/article-p352.xml
dc.identifier.uri http://repository.mzuni.ac.mw/handle/123456789/407
dc.description.abstract The full commercial potential of wild loquat [Uapaca kirkiana (Muell. Arg.)], a fruit that is widely used for food and income in parts of Africa, is restricted by its short shelf life and variability in postharvest quality. We have evaluated within and among tree variability in fruit size and color at harvest, and changes of color, soluble solids concentrations (SSC) and pulp deterioration during storage, of fruit harvested during the maturation period. The relationships between fruit shape, size, seed number and SSC of fruit harvested at the ripe stage of maturity were also assessed, Size and color of fruit within and among trees at harvest varied greatly with the same location on the same harvest date. The a* values (redness) were more variable than for other color attributes, reflecting a range of fruit colors from greenish to brown. During a 6 day storage period, fruit color lightness and yellowness decreased, while redness increased, and variation in color attributes decreased. Although fruit color intensified during storage, the SSC of fruit after ripening was linked more with fruit color at harvest, with mean concentrations ranging from 6.7% to 13.8% among trees, when fruits were harvested four weeks later and categorized by color at harvest, SSV varied from 11.8% in greenish-yellow fruit to 14.5% in browner fruit. Pulp deterioration of stored fruit harvested unripe was observed by 6 days. The SSC of fruit harvested when ripe was not significantly correlated with shape, size or seed number. These observations have important implications for germplasm selection and collection of U. kirkiana for domestication purposes, timing of harvest and/ or postharvest sorting of fruit is likely to reduce variability in SSC during the postharvest period. en_US
dc.language.iso en en_US
dc.publisher Dept of agricultural research and extension en_US
dc.subject Wild loquat en_US
dc.subject Indegenous fruit en_US
dc.subject Color en_US
dc.subject Soluble solids concentration en_US
dc.subject Malawi en_US
dc.title Fruit variability and relationships between color and harvest and quality during storage of Uapaca Kirkiana (Muell. Arg.) Fruit from natural woodlands en_US
dc.type Article en_US


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