STORAGE PERFORMANCE OF APPLE CULTIVARS HARVESTED AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF MATURITY

Abstract

2 ) but also the bitter pit (14.22 %) and soft rot (15.52 %) incidence, while titratable acidity (0.56 %) was observed in cultivarMondial Gala. The percent weight loss, total soluble solids, total sugar, bitter pit incidence and soft rot increased while, juice content, ti tratable acidity, ascorbic acid and firmness declined with increase in storage duration. The juice con tent (47.68 %), total soluble solids (10.07), total sugar (9.31 %), ascorbic acid (10.11 mg/100g) and soft rot (9.52 %) recorded with early mature fruit, increased to juice content (59.33 %), total soluble solids (12.92), total sugar (12.98 %), ascorbic ac id (12.50 %) and soft rot (15.22 %) accordingly in late mature fruits, while weight loss (3.34 %), titratable acidity (0.59 %), firmness (5.88 kg/cm 2 ), and bitter pit (11.69 %) recorded at early maturity stage, declined with delaying the harvesting to weig ht loss (1.93 %), starch score (3.21), titratable acidity (0.49 %), firmness (4.81 kg/cm 2 ), density of fruit (4.81 g/cm 3 ) and bitter pit (6.63 %) at late maturity stage.