Elsevier

Scientia Horticulturae

Volume 213, 14 December 2016, Pages 392-402
Scientia Horticulturae

Harvest point determination of indian jujube fruit (Ziziphus mauritiana L.) based on physicochemical and functional parameters

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2016.10.030Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Important fruit, exotic in the Amazon region, but with a considerable commercial potential, and with functional potential and antioxidant activity;.

  • The specie is still minimally explored for commercial agricultural activity;.

  • Harvest point through physical, chemical, physicochemical and functional parameters;.

  • Bio compounds indicated the highest levels in the mature-green fruits; and,.

  • It is suggested that the point of harvest for the fruit of Z. mauritiana species occurs at 56 DAA, however its antioxidant activity express best expression at 35 DAA.

Abstract

The indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana) is a native fruit of South Asia and East Africa. In Brazil, it is an exotic and endemic fruit specie, brought by the colonizers in the 18th century to the state of Roraima, Brazil. In its native region presents damaging aspect, it demands severe control to prevent its invasion in the pastures and other agricultural fields. Nevertheless, it is considered a very nutritious fruit, but so far has been studied very little. Thus, the aim of this study was to find out its exact harvest time based on its physicochemical and functional properties. The study was conducted between the years of 2012 and 2016, and the fruits were collected from the individual trees in the urban area of Boa Vista city, Roraima sate, Brazil, and analyzed at 7-day interval after the anthesis (DAA). The analysis included physical analysis (diameter and fresh weight), chemical analysis (pH, total acidity, soluble solids, total sugars, reducing sugars, starch, total pectin, soluble pectin, pectin methylesterase and polygalacturonase enzymes), antioxidant activity (phenolic compounds, anthocyanins, flavones, flavonols, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, ORAC and DPPH), and pattern of respiration (CO2 and ethylene). A completely randomized design was used for the experiment with 10 phenological fruit stages and three replications, with a total of 30 sample units per each replication. For the best fit of regression model, F test was performed with a 5% probability level. At the end of the experiment, a clear fruit climacteric behavior was observed, and the antioxidant activity was connected with the presence of phenolic compounds, and based on other analyses, it was determined that the best point of harvest is 56 DAA.

Introduction

Determining the suitable maturity stage for the harvest ensures better preservation of fruit qualities. However, for this determination to be correct, it is necessary to have knowledge of the different stages involved in the development and maturation of the fruit and also to know about the different physiological characteristics among each of these stages (Azzolini et al., 2004).

Harvesting at the appropriate stage of maturation not only defines the quality of the fruit but more importantly, provides a product of high durability (Damatto Junior et al., 2010). For the successful of determination of the optimal harvest time, it is important to use all the tools to support that choice. In general, these tools are physicochemical and functional analyses carried out during the fruit development and maturation. These analyses create a timeline for the fruit and enable to choose an optimal harvest point according to its use. Although really exist postharvest researches taking into consideration the harvest of Z. mauritiana (Abbas and Fandi, 2002, Nyanga et al., 2013), as a significant parameter in the maintaining of general quality, the results are still very varied and, necessarily, there is a need to establish, by precise criteria, the correct point of harvest of this specie.

According to Land Protection (2005) the specie Z. mauritiana is a native fruit of South Asia and East Africa, but in Brazil, it is restricted only to the state of Roraima. It is a specie still underexplored commercially, although it is already general knowledge that has a great number of important minerals and phytochemicals such as amino acids, carbohydrates, ascorbic acid, flavonoids, phenolic acids, vitamin A, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and iron (Choi et al., 2011, Li et al., 2005, San and Yildirim, 2010).

Considering these aspects, this study aimed to determine the physicochemical and functional behavior of Z. mauritiana fruits and therefore to determine the most appropriate point of harvest based on its fresh consumption.

Section snippets

Method of harvest

The study was conducted in the Laboratory of Food Technology, Roraima Federal University, Brazil, from March, 2012 to May, 2016 totaling 5 seasons. The weather of the area is hot and humid with an average rainfall of 1678 mm, maximum temperature of 38 °C and minimum temperature of 20 °C, with an average of 27.4 °C and elevation of 85 m above the sea level.

The fruits were collected from plants located in private urban land in the city of Boa Vista, Roraima state, Brazil. One hundred plants with a

Results and discussion

All data here presented represent an average of 5 seasons performed during the years 2012–2016. It has no detected statistical any significant variations between them.

Conclusions

Based on the results of physical, chemical and respiratory activities, it is suggested that the point of harvest for the fruit of Z. mauritiana species occurs at 56 DAA, however its antioxidant activity does not best express during the same period of time but rather at 35 DAA.

From the respiratory and ethylene synthesis activities it can be verifies that the fruits of Z. mauritiana exhibit climacteric behavior.

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