Ripening Development and Quality of Melting and Non-melting Flesh Peach Cultivars

Abstract

<jats:p>Some physiological and biochemical properties of melting flesh (MF) and non-melting flesh (NMF) peaches [<jats:italic>Prunus persica</jats:italic> (L.) Batsch] were determined during ripening for 5 days at 20 °C. Respiration rates and ethylene production of MF ‘Flordaprince’, MF ‘TropicBeauty’, NMF ‘UFSun’, and NMF ‘Gulfking’ were measured at different harvest skin ground color-based maturity stages. The MF cultivars at harvest were mostly preclimacteric or at the onset of ripening. The NMF cultivars generally had higher ethylene production at harvest and throughout ripening than the MF cultivars; thus, the NMF fruit had started ripening on the tree before harvest. Some of the NMF fruit harvested at more advanced stages quickly became postclimacteric during the storage period. Quality determination after fruit ripening showed that MF ‘TropicBeauty’ had the highest soluble solids content (SSC), but also the highest titratable acidity (TA). The NMF cultivars had lower TA than the MF cultivars. NMF ‘Gulfking’ consistently had high SSC/TA, which was the result of it having the lowest TA. The NMF cultivars retained firmer texture than the MF cultivars during ripening. The flesh firmness of the NMF cultivars was four to five times greater than that of the MF cultivars. To investigate the reason for this significant textural difference, the activities of the cell wall modification enzymes pectin methylesterase (PME) and polygalacturonase (PG) were quantified in all four cultivars at advanced ripeness stages. PME activity appeared to be more directly related with peach fruit softening than PG activity.</jats:p>

Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenases in the mesocarp of ripening fruit of Prunus persica genotypes with different flesh characteristics: changes in activity and protein and transcript levels

“…Fruit ethylene emission appeared earlier and was greater in Oro A than in Springcrest and in Sanguinella (Fig. ), consistent with reports showing that NMF peaches generally evolve higher amounts of ethylene than MF ones (Brovelli et al , Morgutti et al , , Kao et al ).…”

Comparative study on postharvest performance of nectarines grown under regulated deficit irrigation

“…This meant that the higher the firmness measured in nectarines, the less red peel remained, which is a sign of slowing of ripening. In fact, this parameter decreased as pulp softened during ripening as observed in other studies (Ferrer et al, 2005;Kao et al, 2012). In this sense, air-stored nectarines ripened quicker than those stored in CA and treated with 1-MCP, showing higher a* and h values.…”

Nitrogen fertilization rates in a subtropical peach orchard: effects on tree vigor and fruit quality

“…Regardless of any N treatment, the NMF peaches (UFS) were firmer than the MF peaches (TB). Previous research has indicated that NMF cultivars have the capacity to hold up better in storage until the fruit reach the ready‐to‐eat stage, due to the low activity of endo ‐polygalacturonase (EndoPG) levels when the fruit are ripening . Therefore, the Florida peach industry is targeting the marketing of NMF cultivars as a tree‐ripe fruit.…”

“…In Florida, the recommended N fertilization for mature peach trees is 36–45 kg ha −1 , although many growers apply more than the recommended amount. This N rate was adapted from other peach production areas with temperate climates and different soil types, such as California, and there are few studies addressing N fertilization for peach trees in subtropical production areas .…”