HomeIngredientEvaluation of Postharvest Maturity Indices of Commercial Avocado Varieties Grown at Various Elevations Along Lebanon’s Coast

Evaluation of Postharvest Maturity Indices of Commercial Avocado Varieties Grown at Various Elevations Along Lebanon’s Coast

October 19, 2022

Front Plant Sci. 2022 Jun 15;13:895964. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.895964. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

Avocado is known to be a climacteric fruit that must be harvested during the suitable physiological maturity stage to achieve the best edible characteristics and reach the required export standards. It is very hard to visually determine the optimum maturity phases in the different avocado varieties for harvesting, especially because of the limited changes in the external fruit morphology during the maturity phase and because the harvest season is extended throughout several months. Therefore, some laboratory analyses are very crucial to determine the best timing to harvest the fruit. The aim of this study was to evaluate the postharvest maturity indices over 3 harvest stages, mainly dry matter (DM), oil content (OC), fruit firmness, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solid (TSS/Brix), and fruit weight in commercial avocado varieties in regard to different altitudes and agricultural practices. The varieties in this study were as follows: Hass, Lambhass, Ettinger, Fuerte, Pinkerton, Reed, and Horshim growing at different altitudes that ranged from 50 to 400 m in 7 different regions in Lebanon. Statistical comparison of maturity indices under different locations by variety and harvest stage was performed using one-way ANOVA as well as by principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed a high linear correlation between DM and OC over the different harvest stages. During the late harvest stage, the weight showed a negative correlation between fruit firmness and TSS. The minimum oil content % and dry matter % were recorded for Reed variety (8.2 DM and 9.7 OC%) and the highest oil content % and dry matter % were recorded for Fuerte variety (28.5 DM and 21.6 OC%). The data obtained during this study are used to achieve the best edible characteristics and export standards of commercial avocado varieties growing along the Lebanese coast.

PMID:35783944 | PMC:PMC9240439 | DOI:10.3389/fpls.2022.895964

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About The Author

Patrick Blanchard MD

Meet Dr. Blanchard Dr. Blanchard’s medical practice is an embodiment of Integrative health which brings conventional and complementary approaches together in a coordinated way. Conveniently located in sunny Florida and over the internet with ValiseMD’s secure HIPPA compliant telXmed servers. Since 1994, patients with a wide range of challenging medical problems have achieved optimum health using the best of natural medicine, judiciously combined with high-tech innovations. Breakthroughs are often achieved even after patients have consulted mainstream specialists and holistic practitioners. Dr. Blanchard is founder and CEO of ValiseMD, Inc. He is board certified in Family Medicine since 1994 and awarded Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians in 2001. He received the ‘Teacher of the Year’ award from the University of Kansas School of Medicine at completion of his residency in Family Medicine. He completed a fellowship at Wake Forest University in the field of vascular neurosonology. He holds a medical patent in the field of Gastroenterology. He holds an unrestricted license to practice medicine and surgery in Florida. He started his medical career as a Emergency Medical Technician, then as a Paramedic and later a Medical Doctor.