Response of Early Grand Peach to Chemical Thinning; Ethrel, Gibberellic Acid and Urea: Ii. Storability of Fruits

Abstract

The results of 1997 and 1998 seasons revealed that increasing the storage period of Early Grand peach markedly increased weight loss, percentage of decay, total soluble solids, total soluble pectin, carotene and anthocyanin, and decreased juice acidity, vitamin C, total phenols, total chlorophyll and fruit firmness.It was also found that using ethrel as one of the three chemical thinners caused an increase in weight loss, fruit decay percentage, total soluble solids, total soluble pectin, carotene and anthocyanin and decrease in juice acidity, fruit firmness, total phenols and total chlorophyll.In the meantime, both GA3, and urea thinning treatments caused a slight decrease in weight loss, decay percentage. No constant trend was found in juice acidity, while an increase in chlorophyll. No effect was found for both thinners on total phenols, carotene and anthocyanin during the storage time.