Postharvest and Sensory Evaluation of Selected ‘Hass’ × ‘Bacon’ and ‘Bacon’ × ‘Hass’ Avocado Hybrids Grown in East-Central Florida

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is a high-value fruit that continues to increase in consumer demand. A population of ‘Hass’–‘Bacon’ hybrids was planted at USDA-ARS, Fort Pierce, as part of a study to find selections with good horticultural and postharvest quality traits for Florida. Extensive phenotypic data on quality were collected over 3 years. Ten selections were identified in 2014 and 2015 with promising fruit quality and postharvest shelf life characteristics and were tested in sensory panels using store-bought ‘Hass’ as the standard. In general, the selections had fruit quality similar to commercial ‘Hass’. Avocados that were most liked were described as creamy in texture with buttery and nutty flavor. Only one selection (R7T54 in 2014) and one store-bought control (‘Hass’ in 2015) were disliked, which was associated with greater firmness at the time of evaluation, likely relating to insufficient postharvest conditioning. Furthermore, CA ‘Hass’ commercial requirements for minimum dry matter (20.8%) were generally achieved by these selections under Florida conditions, ranging from 18.4% to 25.7%. This study identified 10 selections with composition and sensory quality similar to ‘Hass’ that are suitable for further testing and development in Florida.

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Between-tree variation in fruit quality and fruit mineral concentrations of Hass avocados

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea04051 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 46 (9) ◽

pp. 1195 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

J. R. Marques ◽

P. J. Hofman ◽

A. H. Wearing

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Cold Storage ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Fruit Body ◽

Conclusive Evidence ◽

Skin Area ◽

Calcium Magnesium ◽

Hass Avocado ◽

Individual Trees ◽

Mineral Concentrations

Inconsistent internal fruit quality in Hass avocados affects consumer confidence. To determine the influence of individual trees on fruit quality, Hass avocado fruit were harvested from adjacent trees of similar external appearance in 3 commercial orchards in 1998 and 1 orchard in 1999. The trees in each orchard were grown with similar commercial practices and in similar soil types. Within each location, there were significant (P<0.05) differences in the mean ripe fruit quality between trees with respect to fruit body rot severity (mainly anthracnose) with and without cold storage, internal disorders severity due to diffuse discolouration and vascular browning (after cold storage), days to ripen, percentage dry matter, and the percentage of the skin area with purple-black colour when ripe. These effects were also noted in the same orchard in 1999. There were significant (P<0.05) differences in fruit flesh calcium, magnesium, potassium, boron and zinc concentrations between trees. Significant (P<0.05) correlations were observed between average fruit mineral concentrations in each tree (particularly calcium, magnesium and potassium) and body rot severity, percentage dry matter and fruit mass. There was little conclusive evidence that characteristics such as the growth of the non-suberised roots or the degree of scion under- or overgrowth was involved in these tree effects; however, differences between trees with respect to other rootstock characteristics may be involved. The inconsistency of the correlations across sites and years suggested that other factors apart from tree influences could also affect the relationship between fruit minerals and fruit quality.

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Phenotypic Evaluation of a Hybrid Diploid Blueberry Population for Plant Development and Fruit Quality Traits

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy10081067 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 1067

Author(s):

Lisa J. Rowland ◽

Elizabeth L. Ogden ◽

Bryan T. Vinyard

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Plant Development ◽

Cold Hardiness ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Chilling Requirement ◽

Quality Traits ◽

Flower Bud ◽

Phenotypic Data ◽

Fruit Quality Traits ◽

Highly Correlated

A diploid blueberry mapping population, used previously to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for chilling requirement and cold hardiness, was evaluated for several plant development and fruit quality traits. Specifically, the population was phenotyped in a greenhouse for timing of various stages of flower bud, leaf bud and fruit development and for fruit quality traits including weight, diameter, color, scar, firmness, flavor and soluble solids. Phenotypic data was analyzed statistically by analysis of variance, correlation tests, to examine associations of traits, and heritability. Results indicated that the traits were segregating and most were distributed normally in the population. Many of the development traits were correlated, and timing of shoot expansion, early bloom and full bloom was also correlated with the previously evaluated trait of chilling requirement. Some correlations were found among the fruit quality traits as well. For example, weight was highly correlated with diameter, and subjectively measured firmness was moderately correlated with one of the objectively measured firmness traits. In addition, most of the traits showed significant variation across genotypes and across years, and most had moderate to high heritability. Therefore, we conclude that the diploid population should be useful for identifying QTL for many of these traits.

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Crop Load Influences Fruit Quality, Nutritional Balance, and Return Bloom in ‘Honeycrisp’ Apple

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.51.3.236 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 51 (3) ◽

pp. 236-244 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Sara Serra ◽

Rachel Leisso ◽

Luca Giordani ◽

Lee Kalcsits ◽

Stefano Musacchi

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Fruit Size ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Postharvest Quality ◽

Soluble Solid Content ◽

Crop Load ◽

Apple Variety ◽

Return Bloom ◽

The Impact

The apple variety, ‘Honeycrisp’ has been extensively planted in North America during the last two decades. However, it suffers from several agronomic problems that limit productivity and postharvest quality. To reduce losses, new information is needed to better describe the impact of crop load on productivity and postharvest fruit quality in a desert environment and the major region where ‘Honeycrisp’ expansion is occurring. Here, 7-year-old ‘Honeycrisp’ trees on the M9-Nic29 rootstock (2.5 × 0.9 m) were hand thinned to five different crop loads [from 4.7 to 16.0 fruit/cm2 of trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA)] to compare fruit quality, maturity, fruit size, elemental concentration, and return bloom. Fruit size distribution was affected by crop load. Trees with the highest crop load (16 fruit/cm2) produced smaller fruit. Index of absorbance difference (IAD) measurements (absorption difference between 670 and 720 nm), a proxy indicator of the chlorophyll content below the skin of fruit measured by a DA-meter, were made shortly after harvest (T0) and after 6 months of storage (T1). Fruit from the trees with the lowest crop load had lower IAD values indicating advanced fruit ripeness. The comparison between the IAD classes at T0 and T1 showed that fruit belonging to the lowest IAD class had significantly higher red-blushed overcolor percentage, firmness, dry matter, and soluble solid content than those in the “most unripe” class (highest IAD readings) regardless of crop load. The percentage of blushed color, firmness, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids content, and dry matter were all higher in the lowest crop loads at both T0 and T1. Fruit calcium (Ca) concentration was lowest at the lowest crop load. The (K + Mg + N):Ca ratio decreased as crop load increased until a crop load of 11.3 fruit/cm2, which was not significantly different from higher crop loads. For return bloom, the highest number of flower clusters per tree was reported for 4.7 fruit/cm2 crop load, and generally it decreased as crop load increased. Here, we highlight the corresponding changes in fruit quality, storability, and elemental balance with tree crop load. To maintain high fruit quality and consistency in yield, careful crop load management is required to minimize bienniality and improve fruit quality and storability.

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Relationship between skin color and some fruit quality characteristics of 'Hass' avocado.

The Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico ◽

10.46429/jaupr.v95i1-2.2543 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 95 (1-2) ◽

pp. 15-23

Author(s):

Jorge A. Osuna-García ◽

Gilles Doyon ◽

Samuel Salazar-García ◽

Ricardo Goenaga ◽

Isidro J. L. González-Durán

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Skin Color ◽

Dry Matter ◽

The United States ◽

Quality Characteristics ◽

Matter Content ◽

Dry Matter Content ◽

The European Union ◽

Avocado Fruit ◽

Hass Avocado

Mexico is the main 'Hass' avocado exporter in the world. More than 300,0001 are exported every year. The United States of America, Japan, the European Union, and Canada are the main importer countries. Recently, 'Hass'avocado shipments to Canada containing fruit with skin blackening have been rejected since this characteristic is associated with low pulp firmness and short shelf life. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between skin color of 'Hass' avocado fruit with quality characteristics. Fruit varying in black skin color (from 0 to 100%, categories 1 to 5) were collected from two different packinghouses in Michoacán, Mexico. Treatments were arranged in a split-plot design with five replications. Significant differences were detected between packinghouses for weight, length, skin color ('a', ‘b’, chroma and hue) and pulp firmness but not for width, dry matter content or the Avocado Maturity Index (AMI). As color skin category increased towards more blackened fruit, AMI value increased, firmness decreased but dry matter content did not change. These results provide evidence that fruit skin blackening is not associated with lower fruit quality, but it did lower pulp firmness at fruit packing.

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Percentage of Dry Matter and Oil Content Are Not Reliable Indicators of Fruit Maturity or Quality in Late-harvested `Hass' Avocado

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.35.4.694 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 35 (4) ◽

pp. 694-695 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Peter J. Hofman ◽

Marcelle Jobin-Décor ◽

Janet Giles

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Oil Content ◽

Eating Quality ◽

Avocado Fruit ◽

Fruit Maturity ◽

Late Maturity ◽

Main Determinants ◽

Hass Avocado

The potential to use percentage of dry matter (DM) and/or oil of the flesh of `Hass' avocado as a maturity standard to determine the latest harvest for acceptable fruit quality, was investigated. `Hass' avocado fruit were harvested from early October to mid-January from a commercial orchard in subtropical Queensland. The percentage of DM and oil changed little during the harvest period, and the eating quality of the flesh remained high. However, the incidence of body rots (caused mainly by Colletotrichum sp.) and the flesh disorders grey pulp and vascular browning, increased with harvest. These results indicate that percentage of DM and oil are not reliable late-maturity standards because of the inconsistent change with later harvests, and that disease and internal disorders can be the main determinants of latest acceptable harvest, rather than eating quality.

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Identification and characterization of QTLs for blush, soluble solids concentration (SSC), and titratable acidity (TA) in peach through a multi-family approach

10.21203/rs.3.rs-20345/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Zena Rawandoozi ◽

Timothy P Hartmann ◽

Silvia Carpenedo ◽

Ksenija Gasic ◽

Cassia da Silva Linge ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Prunus Persica ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Phenotypic Variance ◽

Quality Traits ◽

Phenotypic Data ◽

Family Approach ◽

Wide Range ◽

Fruit Quality Traits ◽

Major Qtl

Abstract Background: Fruit quality traits have a significant effect on consumer acceptance and subsequently on peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) consumption. Determining the genetic bases of key fruit quality traits is essential for industry to improve fruit quality and increase consumption. A Bayesian approach embedded in the FlexQTL software increases the accuracy of QTL mapping and the probability of identifying new and validating known QTLs across a wide range of genetic backgrounds.Results: Phenotypic data of seven F1 low to medium chill full-sib families were collected over two years at two locations and genotyped using the 9K SNP Illumina array. One major QTL for fruit blush was found on linkage group 4 (LG4) at 40–46 cM that explained from 20 to 32% of the total phenotypic variance and showed three QTL alleles of different effects. For SSC, one QTL was mapped on LG5 at 60-72cM and explained from 17 to 39% of the phenotypic variance. A major QTL for TA that co-localized with the major locus for low-acid fruit (D-locus) was mapped at the proximal end of LG5 and explained 35 to 80% of the phenotypic variance. The new QTL for TA on the distal end of LG5 explained 14 to 22% of the phenotypic variance. This QTL co-localized with the QTL for SSC and affected TA only when the first QTL is homozygous for high acidity (epistasis). Haplotype analyses revealed SNP haplotypes and predictive SNP marker(s) associated with desired QTL alleles.Conclusions: A multi-family-based QTL discovery approach enhanced the ability to discover a new TA QTL and validated other QTLs which were reported in previous studies. Identified predictive SNPs and their original sources will facilitate the selection of parents and/or seedlings that have desired haplotype alleles. Our findings will help peach breeders develop new predictive, DNA-based molecular marker tests for routine use in marker-assisted breeding (MAB).

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