Altitude as a determinant of fruit quality with emphasis on the Andean tropics of Colombia. A review.

Abstract

Due to global warming, the highlands of the tropics have become more important for planting fruit trees. The climate at high altitudes is mainly characterized by decreased temperatures and increased solar radiation. A systematic literature review using four bibliographic databases revealed 22 studies that determined fruit quality at two altitudes. With increasing altitude, duration of fruit development was prolonged, and, in most cases, higher fresh weights and sizes were found; however, fruit firmness decreased. The intensity of the fruit color increased because of greater radiation in high areas. Mostly, the total soluble solids of the fleshy fruits augmented with altitude, probably because of an increase in photosynthesis with higher solar radiation. The total acidity did not show a clear trend with increasing elevations. At higher altitudes, the content of antioxidants (mainly phenolics) increased in the fruits, especially in the epidermis as a reaction to the increasing ultraviolet (UV) light. Physiological disorders in the fruits included sunburn and damage caused by low temperatures. Different species and varieties react differently to the conditions of highlands, depending on their origin and whether climatic conditions are optimal for a specific fruit tree. There are no positive effects on fruit quality when altitude is at the limit or above the recommended range for the fruit species.

A Comparative Study on Ascorbic Acid Concentration, Total Phenol, and Flavonoid Content in Citrus Species Grown in a Different Region of Western Nepal

“…The total phenol content was higher in Citrus limon , Citrus aurantifolia , and Citrus maxima collected from Lamjung. This study was supported by previous studies [ 32 – 34 ]. The increase in altitude may cause a decrease in temperature and ascribe as a response of plants to radiation which causes amplified biosynthesis of UV-absorbing and enhanced UV-B antioxidant phenolics in plants.…”

Antioxidant Activity, Total Phenolic Content and Total Flavonoid Content in Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) Cultivars Grown in Northwest Spain under Different Environmental Conditions

“…According to a study by Dinis et al [ 28 ], the morphological and phenological differences among different ecotypes of the Portuguese chestnut (Judia cultivar) are related to the small genetic variations and phenotypic adaptations to different climatic conditions. Fischer et al [ 29 ] pointed out that an increases in altitude cause an increase in antioxidant content in various fruit species, a reaction to increasing UV light. It is known that various factors, such as the climatic conditions, cultivars, geographical area, soil nutrients and water availability may affect the bioactive composition of chestnut fruits.…”

Biostimulants Improve Yield and Quality in Preharvest without Impinging on the Postharvest Quality of Hass Avocado and Mango Fruit: Evaluation under Organic and Traditional Systems

“…The avocado was cultivated under both traditional and organic production systems. This was to confirm whether the biostimulant improves fruit production without negatively affecting postharvest performance since it has been reported that pre-harvest factors and practices can impact the post-harvest quality of the fruits [20,21].…”