Articles
Relationship between fruit firmness and dry matter in three blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) cultivars grown in different agroclimatic zones
Article number
1357_10
Pages
63 – 68
Language
English
Abstract
The berry market is highly competitive.
Chilean fruit travels long distances to reach its destination market and needs to meet quality and condition requirements, such as size, color, firmness (F), and dry matter (DM) content.
Exporters often use DM content as the main indicator of fruit firmness.
The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between F and DM content in three cultivars ((Brigitta, Legacy and Elliott) of blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) grown in three agroclimatic zones of the Ñuble Region, Chile: foothills, central valley and coastal drylands.
Berries were picked at full maturity (100% blue), and fruit weight, DM (%) and F were determined using of the FirmTech2® BioWorks equipment.
A correlation between F and DM was performed, and a linear regression was also used.
The results indicated that all the evaluated parameters varied according to the agroclimatic zone.
Content of DM and F presented a negative correlation coefficient, indicating an inverse relationship.
The linear regression presented R2 values ranging between 0 and 29% according to cultivar and agroclimatic zone.
The results indicate that DM content is not an adequate variable to define F, which is determined mainly by the cultivar and agroclimatic zone in which it is grown.
Chilean fruit travels long distances to reach its destination market and needs to meet quality and condition requirements, such as size, color, firmness (F), and dry matter (DM) content.
Exporters often use DM content as the main indicator of fruit firmness.
The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between F and DM content in three cultivars ((Brigitta, Legacy and Elliott) of blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) grown in three agroclimatic zones of the Ñuble Region, Chile: foothills, central valley and coastal drylands.
Berries were picked at full maturity (100% blue), and fruit weight, DM (%) and F were determined using of the FirmTech2® BioWorks equipment.
A correlation between F and DM was performed, and a linear regression was also used.
The results indicated that all the evaluated parameters varied according to the agroclimatic zone.
Content of DM and F presented a negative correlation coefficient, indicating an inverse relationship.
The linear regression presented R2 values ranging between 0 and 29% according to cultivar and agroclimatic zone.
The results indicate that DM content is not an adequate variable to define F, which is determined mainly by the cultivar and agroclimatic zone in which it is grown.
Publication
Authors
P. Muñoz-Vega, M. Dolores, M. Faúndez, J. Campos, G. Silva, T. Uribe
Keywords
highbush blueberry, fruit quality, dry matter, FirmTech2
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