Development of a New Essential Oil-Based Technology to Maintain Fruit Quality in Tomato

In this study, a new technology was tested for its efficacy in the conservation of tomato fruits. An initial experiment was conducted to determine the effects of eugenol on the main quality parameters of Raf tomato fruits; then, a main experiment was performed to test the effectiveness of the new technology. In both experiments, fruits of the tomato cultivar Raf at the mature green stage were used. The preliminary experiment demonstrated the effectiveness of eugenol in maintaining fruit quality during the postharvest life of the fruit. In the main experiment, the fruits were packed using a sachet filled with a mixture consisting of 10:1:1 clinoptilolite clay, ground clove buds, and activated charcoal. This mixture was evaluated against a commercial ethylene scavenger composed mainly of KMnO4-impregnated sepiolite. Three lots of fruits were used: One batch was considered as the control, where the fruits were not packed but kept in an open box at room temperature. The fruits in the other two batches were packed in 2 L PET containers with lids at a rate of three fruits per container, and a sachet of ground cloves and a commercial scavenger was added inside each container in each batch. The containers were kept at room temperature, and the following main quality parameters were analyzed: ethylene production rate, firmness, color, content of soluble solids, and pigments. The results showed that ground clove buds led to a reduction in ethylene production which was associated with a delay in maturation and could be a good alternative for use in the active fruit packaging of horticultural products.

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Improved soil and tomato quality by some biofertilizer products

Acta Agraria Debreceniensis ◽

10.34101/actaagrar/150/1706 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 93-105

Author(s):

Borbála Bíró ◽

Anita Dudás ◽

Heléna Wass-Matics ◽

Tamás Kocsis ◽

Sándor Pabar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Soluble Sugars ◽

Quality Parameters ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Most Probable Number ◽

Test Plant ◽

P Availability ◽

Tomato Fruits ◽

Probable Number ◽

Microbial Counts

The use of microbial inoculums is a part of sustainable agricultural practices. Among various bioeffectors, the phosphorus-mobilizing bacteria are frequently used. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of some industrial biofertilizer inoculums, of containing P-mobilizing bacteria on the quantity and some quality parameters of tomato fruits. Spore-forming industrial Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 (Rhizovital) as single inoculums and combinations with other Bacillus strains (Biorex) were applied on Solanum lycopersicon Mill. var. Mobil test plant. Soil microbial counts, phosphorus availability, yield and fruit quality, such as total soluble solids (TSS) content and sugars (glucose, fructose) were assessed. The results found that single industrial inoculums of FZB42 product had positive effect on P-availability and fruit quality in the pots. Fruit quality parameters, TSS content, soluble sugars were significantly improved (p<0.05). Such better fruit taste was correlated significantly by the most probable number (MPN) microbial counts. Use of such bioeffector products is supported by the positive interrelation among measured soil characteristics and inside healthy quality parameters of tomato fruits.

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Efecto del sustrato hidropónico sobre los atributos de calidad fisicoquímica y fisiológica de frutos de jitomate (Solanum lycopersicum var. saladette)

Revista del Desarrollo Tecnologico ◽

10.35429/jtd.2019.9.3.1.12 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Oscar Andrés Del Angel-Coronel ◽

Magdalena Jimenez-Hernandez ◽

Salomón Lopez Serrano ◽

Jairo Armando Lopez Rojas

Keyword(s):

Physicochemical Properties ◽

Solanum Lycopersicum ◽

Sugarcane Bagasse ◽

Fruit Quality ◽

Quality Parameters ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Co2 Production ◽

Substrate Type ◽

Tomato Fruits ◽

Coffee Husk

Objectives, methodology: In this paper we evaluate the effect of the substrate type on the physicochemical and physiological parameters of tomato fruits (Solanum lycopersicum) type hydroponic saladette. Fourteen hydroponic substrates of mineral origin were evaluated, and mixtures of the same with the aim of selecting substrates that can satisfy the needs or objectives desired by the producer and allowing the consumer to know a fruit with a better quality reflected by its physicochemical properties such as yield, size, colour, total soluble solids (°Brix), titrated acidity, firmness, ethylene and CO2 production. Contribution Substrates such as tezontle, tepezil and coffee husk are favorable in the cultivation of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) type hydroponic saladette benefiting some of its quality parameters being the most feasible options for the producer and the consumer. Substrates such as the tezontle with compost, tepezil with vermicompost, sugarcane bagasse with compost, coffee husk with vermicompost and coffee husk with compost are other options to consider for cultivation; while the vermicompost, sugarcane bagasse, tepezil with vermicompost, tepezil with compost and sugarcane bagasse with vermicompost, were the least efficient treatments, redicing the fruit quality parameters.

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The Effects of Preharvest 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) Treatment on the Fruit Quality Parameters of Cold-Stored ‘Szampion’ Cultivar Apples

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture10030080 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 80 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Kazimierz Tomala ◽

Marek Grzęda ◽

Dominika Guzek ◽

Dominika Głąbska ◽

Krystyna Gutkowska

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Titratable Acidity ◽

Quality Parameters ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Control Group ◽

Low Oxygen ◽

Climacteric Fruit ◽

Ethylene Content ◽

Postharvest Treatment ◽

And Control

Postharvest treatment by 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) for ‘Szampion’ cultivar apples inhibits ripening of climacteric fruit by blocking ethylene receptors, preventing ethylene from binding and eliciting its action. It is also possible to apply 1-MCP preharvest, which so far has not been studied for the ‘Szampion’ cultivar. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of preharvest 1-MCP treatment on the fruit quality parameters of cold-stored ‘Szampion’ cultivar apples in a Polish experiment. Two identical groups of apple trees (6 years, experimental orchard in Warsaw) were included, to obtain studied apples (preharvest 1-MCP treatment with HarvistaTM, 150 g/ha, 7 days before the optimum harvesting window, OHW) and control apples (1-MCP not applied). Apples for the studied group were harvested twice—on 28 September (OHW) and 24 October (delayed harvesting)—and for control group once—on 28 September, as before 24 October the majority of apples fell from trees. Afterwards, apples were stored in an Ultra Low Oxygen chamber (1.2% CO2, 1.2% O2). Apples were assessed in the preharvest period (weekly, six measurements for the studied group, and five measurements for the control group) and postharvest period (monthly, three measurements separately for each harvest time for the studied group and control group). The following parameters were assessed: internal ethylene content (IEC), firmness, total soluble solids (TSS) content, starch index, Streif index, titratable acidity (TA), and color for blush. For the preharvest period, statistically significant differences between the studied group and the control group were observed for IEC, the a* coordinate of color (p < 0.05; for apples treated with 1-MCP lower results), firmness, Streif index, TA (p < 0.05; higher results), and starch index (p < 0.05; no defined trend). For the postharvest period, statistically significant differences between the studied group and the control group were observed for apples harvested in the OHW for firmness (p < 0.05; for apples treated with 1-MCP higher results) and IEC (p < 0.05; no defined trend), while for delayed harvesting the differences were only minor. It may be concluded, that preharvest 1-MCP application makes it possible not only to obtain better results for ‘Szampion’ cultivar apples’ quality parameters, but also allows delayed harvesting without deterioration in quality.

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Yield and fruit quality response of sweet pepper to organic and mineral fertilization

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170507001792 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 22 (3) ◽

pp. 233-238 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

F.M. del Amor

Keyword(s):

Organic Farming ◽

Fruit Quality ◽

Nitrate Concentration ◽

Sweet Pepper ◽

Quality Parameters ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Fresh Weight ◽

Mineral Fertilization ◽

Marketable Yield ◽

Crop Cycle

AbstractSweet pepper plants were grown in a greenhouse under three different cultivation methods (organic, integrated and conventional farming). During the crop cycle, plant growth and especially yield and fruit quality parameters were monitored to determine the effects of the different fertilization strategies. Plant fresh weight and total leaf fresh weight were progressively reduced, relative to the other treatments, in the organic treatment compared with the conventional, and at the end of the crop cycle these parameters were reduced by 32.6 and 35% respectively. This reduction in growth was directly correlated with plant nitrate concentration and, at the end of the study, nitrate concentration was reduced almost completely in the organic treatment. Despite the important effect on growth, no significant differences in total marketable yield were observed between conventional and organic farming, although integrated farming showed the highest yield in the extra and first class fruit categories. Organic farming increased antioxidant activity but reduced both chlorophylls and β-carotene. Fruit firmness, pericarp thickness, pH and total soluble solids content showed higher values with the organic method, but these differences were not significant with respect to the conventional method. Our results show the advantages of the organic fertilization, from both environmental and economic perspectives, if proper dosage is added to the crop and the demonstrated buffer capacity of these plants, with respect to maintaining yield under nutrient depletion at later stages of development, is taken into account.

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Fruit Quality Indices in Eight Nance [Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) H.B.K.] Selections

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.39.5.1070 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 39 (5) ◽

pp. 1070-1073 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Raúl Medina-Torres ◽

Samuel Salazar-García ◽

José Roberto Gómez-Aguilar

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Skin Color ◽

Titratable Acidity ◽

Quality Parameters ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Alcoholic Beverages ◽

Quality Indices ◽

Tropical Fruit ◽

Total Soluble Solids ◽

Byrsonima Crassifolia

Nance [Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) HBK.] is a tropical fruit cultivated along the coastal areas of Mexico. Nance consumption has increased due to its versatility, as it can be used as fresh fruit, refreshments, and alcoholic beverages and also for preparing fruit rolls, bottled drinks, jellies, syrup, ice cream, and cakes. However, the broad variation in fruit quality parameters, like juice acidity, total soluble solids, skin color, and size, seems to limit its use. Since fruit quality can be influenced by the parameter used, multivariate canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) was used to discriminate among nance selections. The objective of this study was to find the best quality indices using physical and chemical fruit characteristics from eight nance selections cultivated in the state of Nayarit, Mexico. Six physical and five chemical variables of fruit quality were studied to determine the relative contribution of each variable to the discrimination between nance selections. Two canonical discriminant functions (CDF1 and CDF2) explained >80% of the accumulated variation among nance selections. The total soluble solids (TSS) to titratable acidity (TA) ratio was dominant on the CDF1 (standardized canonical coefficient = 2.46), therefore, this ratio could be used as the best quality index to select nance fruit. The following TSS to TA values are proposed to classify the nance selections studied: a) 5.1 to 8 as sour fruit (Sour-small and Purple selections), b) 8.1 to 10 as sweet-sour fruit (Conical, Improved, Sweet-sour-1, Sweet-sour-2, and Sweet-sour-3 selections), and c) >10 as sweet fruit (Sangunga selection).

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Sensory and Analytical Analyses of Fruit Quality Constituents of Fresh-cut Orange- and Green-fleshed Honeydews and Orange-fleshed Cantaloupe

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.39.4.806b ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 39 (4) ◽

pp. 806B-806

Author(s):

Robert A. Saftner* ◽

Judith A. Abbott ◽

Gene E. Lester

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Ethylene Production ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Eating Quality ◽

Production Rates ◽

Breeding Lines ◽

Retail Markets ◽

Fresh Cut

New fresh-cut melon products prepared from orange-fleshed honeydews have recently become available in retail markets. We compared fresh-cut chunks of orange-fleshed honeydew (`Temptation' and four breeding lines), green-fleshed honeydew (`Honey Brew'), and cantaloupe (`Cruiser'). All genotypes had similar respiration and ethylene production rates and soluble solids contents: genotype means for soluble solids contents were between 9.4% and 10.1 %. Five hundred untrained consumers preferred the flavor, texture, and overall eating quality of the orange honeydews to the green cultivar, with `Temptation' scoring highest. `Temptation' chunks were less firm at the time of processing and after 12 days storage than chunks prepared from all other genotypes. The color of orange-fleshed honeydew chunks was intermediate between that of cantaloupe and green-fleshed honeydew and the color was maintained during 12 days storage. Total aromatic volatiles from juice extracts of orange-fleshed honeydew chunks was 1.2 to 4.7 times higher than that of green-fleshed honeydew extracts and volatiles from cantaloupe was >4.8 fold greater than extracts from `Temptation' and >9.3 fold higher than that of other honeydew extracts. Many individual volatiles were identical in cantaloupe and honeydews; however, honeydew genotypes, particularly the orange-pigmented types, were distinctive from cantaloupe in having relatively high levels of various nonenyl and nonadienyl acetates of uncharacterized aromas. The results indicate that `Temptation' and other orange-fleshed honeydews are a promising new melon type for fresh-cut processing.

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Abscisic acid on the quality of tomato fruits

Scientia Agraria Paranaensis ◽

10.18188/sap.v19i1.22876 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 38

Author(s):

Carlos Agostinho Balate ◽

Douglas Correa de Souza ◽

Luis Felipe Lima e Silva ◽

Luciane Vilela Resende ◽

Sergio Tonetto de Freitas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Abscisic Acid ◽

Fruit Quality ◽

Tomato Fruit ◽

Titratable Acidity ◽

Physicochemical Characteristics ◽

Quality Parameters ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Exogenous Aba ◽

Root Treatment

The use of abscisic acid (ABA) in agriculture has increased in the last few years due to the increase in ABA commercial availability at lower costs. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of exogenous ABA on tomato fruit quality parameters such as soluble solids (SS), total and soluble pectins, titratable acidity (TA) and flesh firmness. Tomatoes from the cultivar ‘Santa Clara’ were the study followed a complete randomized block desig, with four treatments in five repetitions. The treatments were plants not treated with ABA (control), foliar sprayed with ABA at 500 mg L-1, 150 mL drench with ABA at 500 mg L-1, or foliar plus drench treated with ABA. After harvesting, the physicochemical characteristics of the fruits were evaluated in the laboratory. All treatments were weekly applied to the plants from anthesis to harvest at fully maturity. Root treatment increased SS by up to 26.12%, increased ratio SS/TA, firmness and decreased soluble pectin. According to the results, it can be concluded that the application of ABA to leaves and roots can improve fruit quality by increasing the SS, ratio SS/TA. The method of application affects the SS content.

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Rabbiteye Blueberry Postharvest Fruit Quality and Stimulation of Ethylene Production by 1-Methylcyclopropene

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.46.9.1278 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 46 (9) ◽

pp. 1278-1281 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Dan D. MacLean ◽

D. Scott NeSmith

Keyword(s):

Ethylene Production ◽

Room Temperature ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Treatment Recommendation ◽

Total Acidity ◽

Minimal Effect ◽

Fruit Maturation ◽

Stage Of Development ◽

Climacteric Stage ◽

Stimulation Of

A postharvest 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment was evaluated for its ability to maintain firmness and delay the ripening of rabbiteye blueberries. Three cultivars, Austin, Brightwell, and Premier, were harvested by hand from the UGA Alapaha Blueberry Farm and treated overnight with 1 μL·L−1 1-MCP as field heat was being removed [0 to 1 °C, 90% to 95% relative humidity (RH)]. Fruit were evaluated for firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), total acidity (TA), ethylene production, and other quality attributes at 0, 1, and 2 weeks after harvest as well as 1 or 4 days post-removal evaluations at room temperature (≈21 °C). In general, the 1-MCP treatment resulted in the stimulation of ethylene production in all three cultivars but had minimal effect on TSS and TA content. Furthermore, the treatment resulted in an accelerated loss of firmness in ‘Brightwell’. The lack of inhibition of fruit ripening likely related to the fact that blueberries were harvested, and subsequently treated with 1-MCP, at a post-climacteric stage of development. Based on current results, more information is required regarding ethylene production during rabbiteye blueberry fruit maturation before establishing a 1-MCP treatment recommendation for use by the rabbiteye blueberry industry.

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Rootstocks Influence Yield Precocity, Productivity, and Pre-Harvest Fruit Drop of Mandared Pigmented Mandarin

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy10091305 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 1305

Author(s):

Marco Caruso ◽

Alberto Continella ◽

Giulia Modica ◽

Claudia Pannitteri ◽

Riccardo Russo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Agricultural Research ◽

Fruit Size ◽

Citrus Fruit ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

Quality Parameters ◽

Poncirus Trifoliata ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Citrus Paradisi ◽

Fruit Drop

Citrus fruit quality and scion productivity are influenced by the choice of rootstock. We aimed to evaluate the effect of rootstocks on yield and fruit quality of Mandared, a triploid pigmented mandarin. To do so, we established a rootstock field trial on a high pH soil (8.6) in which Mandared was grafted onto 11 rootstocks. These included some standard rootstocks, such as trifoliate orange ((Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.), Troyer citrange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb. × P. trifoliata), Swingle citrumelo (Citrus paradisi Macf. × P. trifoliata), and C35 citrange (C. sinensis × P. trifoliata), as well as new releases from the Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA, Acireale, Italy) and the University of California Riverside (UCR). The cumulative yield was measured over five consecutive years, while fruit quality was analyzed for two years. The trees on C35, C57 (Citrus sunki Hort. ex. Tan. × P. trifoliata), and C22 (C. sunki × P. trifoliata), started to set fruits one year earlier than the others. The trees on C57 provided some of the highest cumulative yields and canopy volumes. The production of Mandared grafted onto C57 was double that of Mandared grafted onto Troyer, while Mandared grafted onto C35 and C22 resulted in the best yield efficiency. The trees on Swingle and C57 significantly reduced the pre-harvest fruit drop, to which Mandared is particularly sensitive. However, grafting Mandared onto Swingle resulted in the highest variation among replicates, probably due to its high sensitivity to iron chlorosis. Most of the fruit quality parameters, such as fruit size, total soluble solids (TSS), and acidity were not significantly different among the rootstock treatments. However, fruits produced by Mandared grafted onto C22 had one of the highest rates of anthocyanin accumulation. The results indicate that C57, C35, and C22 were the most suitable rootstocks for Mandared in South-Eastern Sicily.

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The effect of pruning systems on yield and fruit quality of grafted tomato

Horticultura Brasileira ◽

10.1590/s0102-053620170215 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 35 (2) ◽

pp. 247-251

Author(s):

Isabel Mourão ◽

Luis M Brito ◽

Luisa Moura ◽

Maria E Ferreira ◽

Sofia R Costa

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Total Yield ◽

Quality Parameters ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Planting Density ◽

Average Yield ◽

Tomato Plants ◽

Cotyledonary Nodes ◽

Yield And Quality ◽

Number Of Stems

Abstract Vegetable grafting is an increasingly used crop management strategy that aims to prevent soilborne biotic and abiotic stresses. For tomato crops, the number of stems per grafted plant determines planting density and crop exposure to sunlight. The effects of pruning grafted plants on yield and fruit quality have not been established, and this information is crucial to support decision-making by growers. A greenhouse experiment was run in the spring/summer season in the NW Portugal to assess the yield and quality parameters for grafted tomato plants (cv. Vinicio grafted onto Multifort rootstock) pruned to 2, 3 and 4 stems developed from the plant first nodes, or pruned to 2 stems developed from cotyledonary nodes, according to common practice. Total yield was significantly increased for the double-stemmed tomato plants, irrespectively of node origin (average yield 26.5 kg/m2), as compared to the 3- and 4-stemmed plants (average yield 19.5 kg/m2). These results can be explained by root system limitations to uptake water and nutrients coupled with the stronger competition between stems for the 3- and 4-stemmed plants. Fruit quality assessed through firmness (1.0 kg/cm2), soluble solids (5.1°Brix), acidity (1.0 g/100 g fresh weight), pH (4.4) and dry mater content (4.9%) was not affected by pruning systems. The greater yield obtained from double-stemmed plants offsets the increased planting and seedlings costs of using grafted tomato plants, particularly so for double-stemmed plants grown from first nodes, as they do not require intensive nursery care and are therefore less costly than those grown from cotyledonary nodes.

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