Abstract

VILLALBA-CAMPOS, Leonardo; HERRERA-AREVALO, Aníbal O  and  ORDUZ-RODRIGUEZ, Javier Orlando. Parameters regarding quality during development and maturation stages in fruit from two varieties of a mandarin orange cultivar (Citrus reticulata Blanco). Orinoquia [online]. 2014, vol.18, n.1, pp.21-34. ISSN 0121-3709.

The pattern of variables was determined regarding the fruit quality of three clementine varieties (Dancy, Arrayana and an experimental cultivar - LL053) grafted onto Cleopatra clementine (C. reticulata Blanco) stock. The variables evaluated in this study were weight, firmness, diameter (polar and equatorial), volume, total soluble solids (TSS), total titratable acidity (TTA), maturity index (MI) and colour index (CI). Treatment involved a completely randomised design (CRD), with four trees per experimental unit and four repetitions concerning the aforementioned materials. Four random samplings were made during fruit growth phase II every three weeks from 148 days post anthesis (DPA) onwards and the last on day 208 DPA. Ripening was sampled on day 222 DPA for the Dancy mandarin and 260 DPA for Arrayana and LL053. MI revealed an early pattern for Dancy mandarin fruit, achieving 10 TSS/TTA ratio around day 206 DPA whilst Arrayana achieved this on day 244 DPA and LL053 on day 252 DPA. Arrayana had greater fruit weight, equatorial diameter, pH and volume values. The LL053 cultivar and Dancy variety had the highest juice content percentages (10% higher than that for Arrayana) and greater firmness values. The LL053 cultivar had a highest TSS value, while the Dancy variety had the lowest value. The CI was higher for Arrayana and LL053 260 DPA, while the Dancy variety had greener fruit 220 DPA, achieving an intense orange colour in a faster way, with increased MI. The Dancy mandarin's early ripening pattern is important for mandarin production in Colombia's tropical lowlands since it allows harvesting time to be prolonged and the fruit to become competitive regarding imported fruit's internal and external quality.

Keywords : Physicochemical characteristics; growth and development; ripening.

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