Relation of Harvesting Time on Physicochemical Properties of Haden, Kent, Palmer and Keitt Mango Varieties for Export and Local Markets
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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND POSTHARVEST RESEARCH 2021, VOL. 4(1), 87-100 University Journal homepage: www.jhpr.birjand.ac.ir of Birjand Relation of harvesting time on physicochemical properties of Haden, Kent, Palmer and Keitt mango varieties for export and local markets ’1* 2 2 Moomin Abu , Lawrence Dzarkwei Abbey and Nelson Kobla Amey 1, Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, University for Development Studies, Nyankpala, Northern Region, Ghana 2, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Food Research Institute, Okplonglo, Accra, Ghana A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T Original Article Article history: Received 11 February 2020 Purpose: Fruit ages (early, mid, and late harvest stages) of Haden, Kent, Palmer, and Keitt mango varieties were determined through Revised 14 July 2020 age-control and established for physiological (early harvest) and eat- Accepted 17 July 2020 ripeness stages (mid and late harvests). This was followed by Available online 23 August 2020 determining physicochemical properties at these stages that could be used as simple harvest indicators for export and local markets. Keywords: Research Method: Randomized Complete Block Design and Age-control Completely Randomized Design with four replications in each case Eat-ripeness stage were used. For each of the four varieties, five mango trees were sampled at random in each of the four replications of a mango Mango fruit plantation when fruits were physiologically matured. Findings: Physiological maturity Physiological and ripe maturity index values were 8.94, 6.88, 7.25, Physicochemical constituents and 6.56 oBrix respectively, for soluble solids; 24.9, 8.5, 35.5, and 23.8 mg.100g-1 respectively, for ascorbic acid; 3.25, 3.50, 3.33, and DOI: 10.22077/jhpr.2020.3170.1126 3.49 respectively, for pH; and 18.5, 17.5, 19.5, and 17.0 oBrix P-ISSN: 2588-4883 respectively, for total soluble solids; 8.05, 3.32, 5.52, and 3.66 -1 E-ISSN: 2588-6169 mg.100g respectively, for ascorbic acid; 5.11, 4.08, 5.00, and 5.80 respectively, for pH; respectively. Pulp colour (turning yellow) was *Corresponding author: nearly the same for the different varieties at physiological maturity but varied when ripe, with uniform consistent texture at both stages. Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Limitations: No limitations to report. Originality/Value: Fruit should Agriculture, University for Development be harvested after full maturity in order to develop the most Studies, P.O. Box TL 1882, Nyankpala, adequate organoleptic quality and the longest post-harvest life, and Northern Region, Ghana. before full ripeness but should never be over-ripe or immature for any purpose unless otherwise. Email: [email protected] © This article is open access and licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ which permits unrestricted, use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, or format for any purpose, even commercially provided the work is properly cited. Abu et al./J. HORTIC. POSTHARVEST RES., 4(1) MARCH 2021 INTRODUCTION Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is an important fruit and cash crop in Ghana. The commercial production of the crop varies from small scale to large scale (highly organized orchards with appropriate technology) production. As an export fruit crop, mango earns foreign exchange for the country while at the same time acts as a source of household income for the resource- poor farmer (Inkoom & Nanguo, 2011; Okorley et al., 2014). Despite the importance of mango in Ghana, only 15% of total production meet export quality; the bulk is handled by local fresh fruit retailers (47%), local processors (10%), wholesalers (4%), and middlemen (13%); the remaining 11% represent spoilage (Abu et al., 2010). The issue of few exportable mango fruits can be attributed to inappropriate post-harvest handling and the inability of farmers to determine the appropriate time of fruit maturity and these factors are significant contributors to poor quality fruit (Abu et al., 2010; Baloch & Bibi, 2012). Most varieties grown in Ghana for export include Haden, Kent, Palmer, and Keitt; all of Florida origin and have different post-harvest characteristics (Abu et al., 2010). During the developmental or growth period of fruits there are many physicochemical changes taking place that have a bearing on fruit quality and post-harvest behavior. Thus, the maturity of harvested perishable commodities has an important bearing on their storage life and quality, and may affect the way they are handled, transported, and marketed. According Ambuko et al. (2018) fruit has to be harvested at the ideal stage in order to allow for the development of the most adequate organoleptic quality and the longest post-harvest life. Ambuko et al. (2017) stated that mango fruit should be harvested at physiological maturity if fruits are to be transported by sea or are intended to be sold in distant markets inside the country which needs to be maintained a bit longer before it is consumed, and that harvest should be done at early stages of ripening if fruits are to be transported by air, to where customers are accustomed to ripe fruits and are within a short distance, or for processing. The author, however, added that all two quality criteria or technical methods risk the determination and establishment of appropriate harvest maturity indices in one way or the other. Abu (2010) indicated that for quality produce, all determinations (early, mid, and late harvest days after fruit-set) should be made in relation to the age control criterion because of its precision in measuring or determining harvest maturity stage. The author, however, added that the age control criterion method is laborious and time-consuming because of the need to obtain baseline data on fruit development and maturation. The baseline data included number of days from anthesis to harvest, external indicators of maturation such as size {fruit weight (g), fruit length (cm), fruit width (cm), fruit volume (cm3), and fruit density (specific gravity) (g.cm-3)}, fruit indentation (cm), exudes of latex (mls), starch test, temperature/heat units (°c), optimum age for harvesting (days), shape, colour, and ‘bloom’ (Abu, 2010). According to Ambuko et al. (2017), chronological age is a useful maturity index, obtained from a particular location, and used as a guide since harvest maturity varies with variety, geographical region, and cultivation condition. The authors reiterated that maturity indices are measurements that can be used to determine the maturity of a commodity and are important for efficient use of labour, marketing strategy, and trade regulations. Gill et al. (2017) outlined several methods of determining maturity stage in mango to include assessment of changes in fruit physical characteristics, chemical quality attributes, ripening quality, firmness, flesh/pulp fibre test, and computational calculations. Flavour, volatiles, taste, and pulp textural-consistency of mango fruit are key components that influence production and acceptability among mango producers and consumers respectively (Baloch & Bibi, 2012). Hence, the need to use consistent physicochemical changes at specific developmental stages of the mango fruit to determine maturity for a 88 Abu et al./J. HORTIC. POSTHARVEST RES., 4(1) MARCH 2021 specific variety, growing condition, geographical site, and for a specific market (Salamat et al., 2013). But generally, various indices are independently unreliable as they are greatly affected by other factors (Thompson, 2003; Shin et al., 2008). Since reliable maturity indices are of importance to all supply chain actors and target markets (Ambuko et al. 2017), the study aimed to establish the fruit age at physiological and eat-ripe stages, and determine the physicochemical properties at these stages that can be used as simple harvest indicators for Haden, Kent, Palmer, and Keitt mango varieties cultivated in Ghana for export and local markets. MATERIALS AND METHODS Experimental site, period, and plant materials Field and laboratory studies were conducted at Prudent Export and Import Company Ltd Mango Plantation and at the Bio-chemistry Laboratory of Food Research Institute, Legon, Accra, respectively. The study aimed to establish the fruit age at physiological and eat- ripeness stages, and determine the physicochemical properties at these stages that can be used as simple harvest indicators for Haden, Kent, Palmer, and Keitt mango varieties cultivated in Ghana for export and local markets. These are major export mango varieties which are appreciated by importers of mango from Ghana (Zakari, 2012; Okorley et al., 2014). Prudent Export and Import Company Ltd Mango Plantation is in the Somanya-Dodowa mango production zone of the Dangme West District of Greater Accra Region, Ghana. Two major (April to July) and two minor (December to February) harvesting seasons were considered for the experimental period. Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and Completely Randomised Design (CRD) were used for the field and laboratory experiments respectively, with four replications in each case. Sampling, and determination of optimum age (days) for harvesting through age control For each of the four varieties, five mango trees were sampled at random in each of the four replications. For age control (designated as age of fruit from fruit-set to early, mid, or late harvest) studies, date of fruit-set initiation (in each case of either early, mid, or late harvest trial tag) was noted and recorded for each sample tree. On each sample tree, ten different panicles (in each case of either early, mid, or late harvest trial tag), all initiating fruit-set were identified and tagged. The number of days from fruit-set to physiological maturity (green- hard, outgrown shoulders, pit around the stalk-end, turning yellow or showing an apparent break of yellow colour in the pulp/flesh) was calculated and averaged in each case, and for each of the four varieties. The figure obtained represented the number of days the mango fruit took to reach physiological maturity (pre-climacteric stage) from fruit-set (Abu, 2010; Iqbal, 2015).