Determination of maturity indices

Determination of maturity indices
    A great considerable variation occurs among the different types of verities, hybrids, cultivars, ecotypes/biotypes of some crop. These variations may be minimized by appropriate judging of maturity.
    Disadvantage of sensory maturity
    • When cultivated area is larger, these techniques are tedious.
    • Colour of the each fruit/ bunch cannot be same due to variation in perception.
    • Variation in weather will misleads the judging
    • Variation in biotic and abiotic factors with in orchard (micro climate) influence the crop judgment(plants near pond/compost pit grows luxuriantly)

    I. Computational methods
    1. Calendar date
    2. DFFB
    3. Heat units
    4. T- stage
    II. Physical methods
    1. Fruit retention strength
    2. Fruit size and surface morphology
    3. Weight
    4. Specific gravity
    5. Colour - skin, flesh and seed
    6. Firmness
    7. Ease of separation
    8. Brittleness of the floral part
    9. Juice content
    10. Bulk density - Cole crops/lettuce structural properties – soft/rough
    11. Development of abscission layer - melons

    III. Chemical methods
    1. Titratable acidity
    2. TSS/acid ratio
    3. Sugars
    4. Sugar/ acid ratio
    5. Bioelectrical conductance
    6. Starch content - Iodine test
    7. Tannin content - dates, persimmon and litchi
    8. Oil content
    9. Juice content

    IV. Physiological methods
    1. Rate of respiration
    2. Rate of ethylene production
    3. Transpiration
    4. Production of volatiles

    V. Geo metrical methods
    1. Particles size and shape of the produce
    2. Particle composition and orientation in a given tissue or food
    3. Moisture content of produce
    Many fruits and vegetables chewiness is being used to test the parameter like brittleness, elasticity and hardness

Last modified: Tuesday, 26 June 2012, 4:45 PM