The apple growers and packaging houses are interested in methods that can evaluate the quality of apples non-destructively. Harvested fruits are a mixture of immature, mature, and over mature fruits, thereby posing a great problem in deciding their end use and storage time. It is expected that the technique developed from the present project could be effectively used to classify the harvested fruit into immature, mature and over mature apples, rapidly and non-destructively. It would also help the growers to predict the optimum dates to harvest the fruits. York and Gala were the varieties of apples that were used in this study and were obtained from Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Kentland Farm. Apples were harvested at different times resulting in different maturity groups (immature, mature and ripe). Gala apples were harvested on three dates with an interval of 10 days, while York apples were harvested on four dates with an interval of 14 days. They were stored at 0oC until sampled. For each harvest date, the experiments were conducted in two sets (10 each) on two consecutive days. First the ethylene levels were measured, followed by gas chromatograph and electronic nose. Then the maturity indices were measured. Three maturity indices, starch index, firmness and soluble solids were used as the three variables for the statistical analysis to identify and categorize the fruits into three maturity categories referred as immature, mature and over mature fruits. Apples were also categorized into three maturity groups based on the emanation levels of the aroma compounds evolved from the fruits. Then electronic nose sensor responses were categorized into the above maturity categories, and their effectiveness was determined using a statistical procedure called Discriminant Analysis (DA). From the DA cross validation results the correct classification percentage for Gala and York apples into maturity groups was 95%. The Electronic nose sensor's effectiveness to categorize the same observations based on sensor responses in to the above classified maturity categories was 83% correct in case Gala apples and 69% for York apples. The EN sensors response data were analyzed by the EN system software and the correct classification percentage for Gala was 83% and for York was 81%. Aroma-based categorization for Gala apples was 100% correct, while the electronic nose for the same analysis was 80%. Based on the three physical parameters, an objective evaluation of maturity could be accomplished. Principal Component Analysis, Canonical Discriminant Analysis and DA results demonstrated that the electronic nose could be used to classify apples into three identified maturity-based groups. The EN sensors (Gala apples), could also classify the apples into aroma-based categories. Thus, it can be concluded that the EN system holds promise as non-destructive evaluation technique to determine the maturity of an apple. / Master of Science

Thesis (MScAgric (Horticulture))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Climatic differences between production areas or seasons directly affect the rate of fruit maturation and the eating quality following storage and ripening. South African ‘Forelle’ pears are harvested at an optimum firmness of 6.4 kg and have mandatory cold storage duration of 12 weeks at -0.5°C to ensure even ripening. The firmness variable alone, however, is not a good indicator of ripening potential. Hence, various maturity variables (ethylene production, ground colour, firmness, total soluble solids (TSS) titratable acidity (TA), and starch breakdown) and their rates of change were evaluated to identify consistent maturity indices that can be reliably used in a prediction model to determine optimum harvest maturity (Chapter 2). This was then related to the ripening potential (Chapter 3) and eating quality (Chapter 4), defined by optimum ‘edible firmness’ (3.5 kg), presence or absence of astringency or mealiness. Fruit were harvested from three main producing areas: Warm Bokkeveld (WBV), Elgin and Koue Bokkeveld (KBV). Harvesting was done biweekly on five harvest dates over three successive seasons (2007-2009). At harvest, 20 of 240 fruit per block were used to determine maturity using all the mentioned parameters in order to understand their changes and behaviour pre-harvest. The remaining 220 fruit were stored at -0.5°C for three storage durations followed by ripening at 15°C. At harvest, the 2007 season’s fruit were more advanced in ground colour and were significantly softer (6.7 kg) than the 2008 (7.0 kg) and 2009 (7.1 kg) seasons. Firmness, ground colour, TSS and TA, all displayed a linear relationship with days after full bloom. For the firmness and ground colour, more than 90% and 73%, respectively, was explained by the variation in the linear model, while for the TSS and TA less than 70% could be accounted for by the model. Fruit harvested before commercial harvest (pre-optimum) in 2007 and 2009 failed to ripen to an ‘edible firmness’ when stored for eight weeks at -0.5oC plus 11 days at 15oC. In 2008, eight weeks storage was sufficient to induce ripening changes in pre-optimum harvested fruit. The development of ripening potential in the 2008 earlier harvested fruit, corresponded with a higher rate of change (3.15 µL.kg-1.h-1.day-1) in ethylene production at 15oC compared to the 2007 (1.98 µL.kg-1.h-1.day-1) and 2009 (1.87 µL.kg-1.h-1.day-1) seasons. The 2007 season fruit experienced maximum incidence of astringency (36.7%) on the first harvested fruit. In all three seasons, fruit harvested at commercial harvest time and later (optimum and post-optimum), required an eight week storage period to induce ripening. However, the eight weeks storage period developed highest mealiness. More than 40% of the last harvested fruit were mealy after eight weeks at -0.5°C plus seven days at 15°C. Mealiness significantly reduced with prolonged storage at -0.5°C. Fruit from the WBV and Elgin, warmer areas than the KBV, were more prone to mealiness. In conclusion, firmness was the most consistent variable at harvest and could be used in conjunction with ground colour to determine ‘Forelle’ harvest maturity. Furthermore, the study does not support shortening the current mandatory 12 weeks period at -0.5°C due to the higher incidence of astringency and mealiness. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Klimaats verskille tussen produksie areas of seisoene affekteer die tempo van vrugrypwording en eetkwaliteit na opberging en rypwording direk. Suid-Afrikaanse ‘Forelle’ word ge-oes by ‘n optimum fermheid van 6.4 kg en het ‘n verpligte opbergingstydperk van 12 weke by -0.5°C om egalige rypwording te verseker. Die veranderlike ‘fermheid’ is egter nie ‘n goeie aanduiding van die rypheidspotensiaal op sy eie nie. Dus is verskeie rypheidsparameters (etileen produksie, agtergrond kleur, fermheid, total oplosbare vaste stowwe (TOVS), titreerbare suur (TS) en stysel afbraak) en die tempo van verandering ge-evalueer om konstante rypheidsverwysings te identifiseer wat met vertroue in ‘n voorspellingsmodel gebruik kan word om optimum oes rypheid te kan bepaal (Hoofstuk 2). Dit is dan in verband gebring met die rypwordingspotensiaal (Hoofstuk 3) en eetgehalte (Hoofstuk 4), wat gedefiniëer is deur “eetbare fermheid” (3.5 kg), frankheid en melerigheid. Vrugte is ge-oes uit drie, hoof verbouingsareas: Warm Bokkeveld (WBV), Elgin en Koue Bokkeveld (KBV). By oes is 20 van die 240 vrugte per blok gebruik om die vrug rypheid te bepaal, deur al die bogenoemde parameters te gebruik, om die verandering en reaksie voor oes te begryp. Die oorblywende 220 vrugte is opgeberg by -0.5°C vir drie opbergingstye, gevolg deur rypmaking by 15°C. By oes was die vrugte van die 2007 seisoen verder gevorderd in agtergrond kleur en betekenisvol sagter (6.7 kg) as die van 2008 (7 kg) en 2009 (7.1 kg). Fermheid, agtergrond kleur, TOVS en TS het almal ‘n lineêre verband getoon met dae na volblom. In geval van fermheid en agtergrond kleur, is meer as onderskeidelik 90% en 73% verklaar deur die variasie in die lineêre model, terwyl in geval van die TOVS en TS, minder as 70% deur die model verklaar kon word. Vrugte wat voor die kommersiële oes (pre-optimum) ge-oes is in 2007 en 2009, het nie daarin geslaag om ryp te word tot by ‘eetbare fermheid’ na ag weke by -0.5°C en 11 dae by 15°C nie. Daarteenoor kon vrugte wat pre-optimum ge-oes is in 2008, wel geïnduseer word om ryp te word met ag weke opbeging. Die ontwikkeling van die rypwordingspotensiaal van vrugte wat vroeër ge-oes is, stem ooreen met die hoër tempo van verandering (3.15 µL.kg-1.h-1.dag-1) in etileen produksie by 15°C in vergelyking met seisoene 2007 (1.98 µL.kg-1.h-1.dag-1) en 2009(1.87 µL.kg-1.h-1.dag-1). Die 2007 seisoen vrugte het die maksimum voorkoms van frankheid (36.7%) getoon vir vrugte van die eerste oes datum. In al drie seisoene waar vrugte wat by kommersiële oes of later (optimum en post optimum) ge-oes is, was ‘n ag weke periode van opgeberging voldoende om rypwording te inisiëer, alhoewel die ag weke opberging ook gelei tot die hoogste voorkoms van melerigheid. Meer as 40% van die laat ge-oeste vrugte was melering na ag weke opberging by -0.5°C en sewe dae by 15°C. Melerigheid is betekenisvol verlaag met ‘n verlengde opbergingsperiode by -0.5°C. Vrugte vanaf die WBV en Elgin, warmer areas as die KBV, was meer onderhewig aan melerigheid. Opsommend was fermheid die reëlmatigste veranderlike by oes en kan tesame met agtergrondkleur, gebruik word om vrugrypheid van ‘Forelle’ te bepaal. Verder het die studie nie ‘n verkorting van die huidige, verpligte 12 week opberingsperiode by -0.5°C gesteun nie, weens die hoë voorkoms van frankheid en melerigheid.

FundaÃÃo Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Cientifico e TecnolÃgico / O presente trabalho objetivou caracterizar as alteraÃÃes fÃsicas, fÃsico-quÃmicas, quÃmicas e bioquÃmicas durante o crescimento dos frutos de mangueira (Mangifera indica), cv. Tommy Atkins, da antese atà a colheita comercial, visando à definiÃÃo do ponto de colheita ideal em unidades de calor. Os frutos foram colhidos aos 35, 49, 63, 70, 77, 84, 91, 98, 105 e 112 dias apÃs a antese (DAA), sendo feitas as seguintes determinaÃÃes: aspectos morfolÃgicos externos; diÃmetros longitudinal, ventral e transversal; produto dos diÃmetros; massas fresca, seca e de Ãgua; teor de Ãgua; escalas de coloraÃÃo da casca, de Blush para coloraÃÃo da casca e de coloraÃÃo da polpa; luminosidade, croma e Ãngulo Hue da polpa; firmeza; unidades de calor (UC); sÃlidos solÃveis totais (SST); acidez total titulÃvel (ATT); pH; relaÃÃo SST/ATT; amido; aÃÃcares solÃveis totais, redutores e nÃo redutores; nitrogÃnio total, nÃo protÃico e protÃico; proteÃnas bruta e verdadeira; vitamina C; clorofila e carotenÃides totais; fenÃlicos polimÃricos, oligomÃricos e dimÃricos; pectinas total, solÃvel, de alta metoxilaÃÃo e de baixa metoxilaÃÃo; protopectina; percentagem de solubilizaÃÃo de pectina; atividade das enzimas pectinametilesterase, poligalacturonase, polifenoloxidase, peroxidase, amilase total, &#945;- e &#946;-amilases, &#945;- e &#946;-galactosidases extraÃdas de citosol e de parede celular; proteÃnas extraÃdas de citosol e de parede celular. O trabalho indicou que as mangas âTommy Atkinsâ atingiram a maturidade fisiolÃgica aos 98 DAA, que equivale a 1.685,09 UC. O croma da polpa foi o melhor indicador do estÃdio de desenvolvimento do fruto da mangueira cultivada sob irrigaÃÃo no sub-mÃdio SÃo Francisco, considerando-se o seu alto coeficiente de determinaÃÃo, R2=0,9832 (P < 0,01) e seu alto coeficiente de correlaÃÃo com pH, aÃÃcares solÃveis totais e carotenÃides totais, R=0,95; 0,93; e 0,93, respectivamente (P < 0,01). / The objective of this work was to characterize the physical, physicochemical, chemical and biochemical changes during the development of mango (Mangifera indica), cv. Tommy Atkins from anthesis to harvest, identifying the optimum harvest maturity stage in heat units. The fruits were harvested at 35, 49, 63, 70, 77, 84, 91, 98, 105 and 112 days after the anthesis (DAA), being made the following determinations: fruit external morphology; longitudinal, ventral e transverse diameters; product of the diameters; fresh and dry mass; water content and percentage; skin, Blush skin and pulp color scales; pulp luminosity, Hue angle and chroma; firmness; heat units (HU); total soluble solids (TSS); total titratable acidity (TTA); pH; TSS/TTA ratio; starch; total, reducing and nonreducing soluble sugars; total, protein and nonprotein nitrogen; crude and true protein; C vitamin; total chlorophyll and carotenoids; polymeric, oligomeric and dimeric phenolics; pectin total, soluble and high/low metoxilation degree; protopectin; solubilization pectin percentage; pectin metyhylesterase, poligalacturonase, polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, total amylase, &#945;- and &#946;-amylases, &#945;- and &#946;-galactosidases enzymes activities; cell wall and cytosol proteins. This work has indicated that mango âTommy Atkinsâ reached the physiological maturity at 98 DAA, that is equivalent to 1.685,09 HU. The pulp chroma was the best fruit development stage indicator in the cultivated conditions of this study (SÃo Francisco valley), taking into account the high coefficient of determination, R2=0,9832 (P < 0,01) and excellent correlation coefficients with pH, total soluble sugars and total carotenoids, R=0,95; 0,93; e 0,93, respectively (P < 0,01).