Fruit production and quality evaluation of four litchi cultivars (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) grown in Mediterranean climate

Abstract

Introduction -The agronomic and qualitative responses of the litchi fruit (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) grown in Mediterranean climate are not yet studied. In this study, yield components, physico-chemical and sensory traits of four commercial litchi cultivars were recorded over two productive seasons. Materials and methods -Fruits of the cvs Tai So, Wai Chee, Brewster and Kwai Mai were collected at commercial maturity stage and subjected to productive (yield, efficiency, number of fruits, crop load), analytical (fruit weight, transversal diameter, longitudinal diameter, moisture, total soluble solid content (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), TSS/TA ratio, seed weight, peel weight, percentage of flesh and fiber, ash, fat, protein contents, K, Na, Ca, Mg, P, Fe, Cu, Mn and Zn contents, vitamin B 1 , B 2 , B 3 and C contents), and sensory evaluations. Results and discussion -Even if the climatic conditions prevailing in Sicily differ from those of most litchigrowing regions, the four observed cultivars generally showed yields and fruit qualitative characteristics in line with the affirmed cultivar harvested in many tropical areas. 'Tai So' in addition to its reasonable yielding, physicochemical traits, contents of protein and vitamin, had the highest sensory appeal. 'Kwai Mai' showed interesting percentage of flesh, TSS/TA and flesh mineral composition. 'Brewster' and 'Wai Chee' revealed interesting ground colour, vit. B 2 and vit. C contents. On the other hand, 'Brewster' and 'Tai So' presented alternate bearing causing to lose a market year. Conclusion -These results suggest the possibility to produce litchi in Mediterranean climate with promising yields and an elevated standard of fruit quality. Keywords Italy, litchi (Litchi chinensis), physico-chemical properties, fruit quality, micronutrient composition, yield component Résumé Production et évaluation qualitative des fruits de quatre cultivars de litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) cultivés sous climat méditerranéen subtropical.

Physical Characterization, Nutrient, Phenolic Profiles and Antioxidant Activities of 16 litchi Cultivars Grown in the Upper Yangtze River Region

“…DHP had the highest TA value, followed by TT, whereas LZGW had the lowest TA content. These TA values were similar to those of the reference cultivars, [13,14] but less acidic than those reported by Cabral et al [3] Generally, litchi pulp with a high TSS and medium TA is preferable. Here, several cultivars, such as BL, JJL, NMY, YSH and DL, exhibited desirable qualities.…”

Pomological, Sensorial, Nutritional and Nutraceutical Profile of Seven Cultivars of Cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill)

“…The contents of K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy following wet mineralization, and using the instrumental condition as previously described [ 28 ]. Briefly, the samples were digested, and approximately 100 mg of dried sample was weighed and incubated with 9 mL of 65% ( w/w ) HNO 3 , and 1 mL of 30% ( w/v ) H 2 O 2 were added.…”

Food quality and nutraceutical value of nine cultivars of mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruits grown in Mediterranean subtropical environment

“…Fruit quality attributes, such as color, aroma, flavor, taste, and texture, are of great commercial importance (Farina, Gianguzzi, D'Asaro, Mazzaglia, & Palazzolo, 2017b). On the other hand, due to the increasing consumer interest in health-promoting properties of food, also aspects related to nutraceutical value contribute to define fruit quality.…”