ABSTRACT
Non-destructive methods have been widely recognized for evaluating fruit quality traits of many horticultural crops and food processing industry. Destructive (analytical) test, and non-destructive evaluation of the quality traits were investigated and compared for 'Red Rose' tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruit grown under protected environment. Fresh tomato fruit at five distinctive maturity stages namely; breaker (BK), turning (TG), pink (PK), light-red (LR), and red (RD) were labeled and scanned using the handheld near infra-red (NIR) enhanced spectrometer at a wavelength range of 285-1200â¯nm. The labeled tomato samples were then measured analytically for flesh firmness, lycopene, ß-carotene, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoids content (TFC). The results revealed that quality traits could be estimated using NIR spectroscopy with a relatively high coefficient of determination (R2): 0.834 for total phenolic content, 0.864 for lycopene, 0.790 for total flavonoid content, 0.708 for ß-carotene; and 0.679 for flesh firmness. The accumulation of Lyco and ß-Car rapidly increased in tomatoes harvested between the TG and the LR maturity stages. Harvesting tomatoes at BK maturity stage resulted in significantly higher flesh firmness than harvesting at the later maturity stages. Tomato fruits had the lowest TPC and TFC contents at the earliest maturity stage (BK), while they had intermediate TPC and TFC levels at LR and RD maturity stages. NIR spectroscopic measurements of fruit firmness and lipophilic antioxidants in tomato fruit at various maturity stages were partially in accordance with those estimated by destructive (analytical) methods. Based on these findings, we recommend using non-destructive NIR spectroscopy as an effective tool for predicting tomato fruit quality during harvest stage and postharvest processing.
ABSTRACT
The use of synthetic antioxidants has been associated with serious concerns for human and environmental health. During ripening stages, tomato fruit is exposed to different abiotic stresses which not only influence its nutritional, mechanical, and functional properties at harvest, but also affect the quality and shelf life of the fruit during storage. This study investigated the pattern of changes in dietary antioxidants during various ripening stages of tomato fruit (cv. Red Rose) and their impact on storage behavior of the fruit during cold storage. Tomato fruits were harvested at mature green, breaker, turning, pink, light-red and red stages of maturity. Then, they were analysed for flesh firmness, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, total sugars, pH, dry matter content, lipophilic (lycopene, ß-carotene, and total carotenoids), and hydrophilic (ascorbic acid, phenolic and flavonoids) antioxidants. Additional fruits were harvested at each maturity stage and divided into three equal lots, then were subjected to low-temperature (10 ± 1 °C) storage with 80 ± 5% RH, for 7, 14, and 21 days. Flesh firmness, and the levels of dietary antioxidants were analysed following the subsequent storage periods. The results revealed that the peak of hydrophilic antioxidants such as ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids was between the 'pink' and the 'light-red' stages of fruit maturity. Whereas tomatoes harvested at the 'red' stage of maturity had the highest levels of lycopene and ß-carotene. Both the stage of fruit maturity at harvest and duration of cold storage influenced flesh firmness, organoleptic and functional properties of 'Red Rose' tomato fruit. In conclusion, the results of the current investigation have practical implications in formulating foods with improved functional properties at processing industries.
ABSTRACT
Two field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of three drip irrigation regimes (G1: 120% crop evapotranspiration (ETc), G2: 100% ETc, and G3: 80% ETc) and four nitrogen (N) source treatments (S0: non-fertilized; S1: urea, S2: ammonium nitrate, and S3: ammonium sulfate on water consumption use, water utilization efficiency, chlorophyll, yield and tubers quality of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.; cv Diamond) under a drip irrigation system during two successive winter seasons (2015/16 and 2016/17)). Nitrogen fertilization was applied at 380 kg ha-1 as standard application for potato in the investigated area. The highest tubers yield was obtained from potato grown with G1 S2 (65.8 Mg ha-1), G1 S3 (63.6 Mg ha-1), G2 S2 (64.1 Mg ha-1), and G2 S3 (62.4 Mg ha-1), while the lowest tubers yield was obtained from potato grown with G3 S0 (10.1 Mg ha-1) and G2S0 (17.4 Mg ha-1). Different treatments of N source resulted in a significant increase for water use efficiency (WUtE) compared with unfertilized treatment. For the interaction effect, the highest WUtE was obtained from potato grown with G3 S2 (18.1 kg m-3), followed by G3 S3 (17.6 kg m-3), while the lowest WUtE was obtained from plants grown with G3S0 (3.0 kg m-3). However, the highest chlorophyll content was obtained from plants grown with G1 and any N source, followed by G2S1-3, while the lowest chlorophyll content was obtained from those grown with G3S0. The highest N, S, protein, and P contents in tubers were obtained from plants grown with G3S3, G3S2, and G2S2, while the highest K content in tubers was obtained from plants grown with G1S1 and G1S2. In concussion, the integrative effects of G1 or G2 with S2 or S3 is recommended for high productivity, while the integrative effects of G3S3 and G3S2 are recommended for high quality tubers.
