Multivariate analysis of maturity stages, including quality and aroma, in ‘Royal Glory’ peaches and ‘Big Top’ nectarines

Abstract

Ethylene production, quality attributes and aroma compounds were analysed to determine the maturity evolution of 'Big Top' nectarines and 'Royal Glory' peaches at harvest dates ranging from 89 to 116 days after full bloom (DAFB) for nectarines and from 85 to 112 DAFB for peaches. These cultivars are highly coloured even in the early stages of maturity. However, the two cultivars had different patterns of ethylene production, this being slower in nectarines than in peaches. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to provide partial visualisation of the complete data set in a reduced dimension plot. Separation of the two cultivars can be shown by means of a two-dimensional plot of the samples. Although only some aroma compounds are slightly correlated with quality parameters, when aroma volatiles were included in the PCA, the aroma compound set allowed both cultivars to be classified into three stages of maturity: immature, intermediate and fully mature. Compounds such as propanol, hexyl acetate, 2-methylpropyl acetate, limonene, butanol, (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, buthyl acetate, linalool, ethanol, propyl acetate and ethyl acetate are the most important volatiles for 'Big Top' nectarines. It is suggested that the presence of these compounds can be used to indicate when the fruit should be harvested. The presence of g-decalactone, d-octalactone, g-octalactone, ethyl butyrate, hexanal and (E)-2-hexenol can be used to indicate the harvesting maturity stage for 'Royal Glory' peaches. The optimum maturity date for harvest would be 105-107 DAFB for 'Big Top' nectarines and 93-95 DAFB for 'Royal Glory' peaches.

Effects of stage II and postharvest deficit irrigation on peach quality during maturation and after cold storage

“…36 -38 However, it is not known what specific ethylene value is needed to trigger the ripening process in this variety of peach, since each variety is different. 35 Our results indicated an advance in the climacteric peak for RDI treatments, and this was associated with fruit softening after cold storage. Both processes are compatible with the idea of an advance in fruit ripening for RDI-SII peaches.…”

“…In the end, fruits from RDI-SII and RDI-SII-PH appeared to ripen normally, whereas Control fruits seemed to ripen with difficulty ( Fig 6C). 35 SSC was higher for RDI-SII in the three samples, and it was not possible to attribute an advance of maturity in RDI-SII based only on this parameter. Differences in fruit quality between irrigation treatments tended to be more evident after 1 week of cold storage.…”

Phenotypic diversity and relationships of fruit quality traits in peach and nectarine [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] breeding progenies

“…PCA has been previously used to establish genetic relationships among cultivars and to study correlations among fruit traits within peach (Brovelli et al 1999;Lavilla et al 2002;Crisosto et al 2006a) and apricot genotypes (Badenes et al 1998;Gurrieri et al 2001;Ruiz and Egea 2008). The PCA carried out in this work showed that more than eighty per cent of the observed variance could be explained by the first five components.…”

Development of a rapid and direct method for the determination of organic acids in peach fruit using LC–ESI-MS

“…Table 6 summarizes the content of organic acids in the samples analyzed. The values are within the range of values previously describes in the literature, but obviously depend on the origin, cultivar, harvest date and degree of maturation (Flores, Hellín, & Fenoll, 2012;Lavilla, Recasens, Lopez, & Puy, 2002;Wu, Quilot, Génard, Kervella, & Li, 2005). Malic acid followed by citric acid were the major organic acids of peach fruit among all organic acids analyzed representing more than 80% of the total acid content analyzed.…”