MINERAL CONTENT IN ‘TEXAS’ ALMONDS DURING FRUIT GROWTH AND RIPENING

This work describes compositional changes of macroelements (P, Na, K, Ca and Mg) and microelements (Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn) in different parts of almond fruit (cv ‘Texas’) during the entire growing period.

During 1988, six samplings were made at monthly intervals from fruit set (20 April) to crop maturity (20 September). Kernel and hull tissues were separated and analyzed after each of the six samplings.
Shell tissue separation and analysis were performed only from the 3rd sampling on.

Changes in mineral content during the growing period revealed different trends, depending on the tissue analyzed.
In particular, K, Mg, and Fe content showed decreases in the shell, rose in the kernel and fluctuated in the hull.
Irregular trends in amounts of Ca were noted in the shell but increased considerably in kernel and hull.
Relationships between elements in different parts of fruit are discussed.

I International Congress on Almond

M. Schirra, M. Mulas, G. Nieddu, F. Virdis

Amygdalus communis, composition, kernel, shell, hull

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1994.373.29