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This work aimed to characterize postharvest management for temperate cut flowers in the State of Ceará, Brazil. Growing areas were visited from Apri, 28th to May 14th of 2003 and producers were asked to answer questionnaires on harvest, packing, storage and transportation. The species involved were Aster, Gladiolus, Rose, Gerbera daisy and chrysanthemun. Data showed that flowers are harvested in the morning by transversal stem cuts in Gladiolus. Rose and Gerbera daisy, which were kept in water, meanwhile Aster and Chrysanthemun are kept at the bedside. They are their taken manually to the packing houses, except flowers that are taken in carts, where they are hydrated for a few hours At the packing houses, bunches are formed by size, quantity and weight of flowers, except for Chrysanthemun, which are bunched up at the field. Afterwards, stems are immersed in preserving or bactericide solutions and then cold stored (1-5°C and U.R.>90%). Cut stents are then air dried and packed in carton paper box (1.20x0.43x0.26m) and transported at 2-4°C and U.R.>90%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aimed to characterize postharvest management for cut tropical flowers at the State of Cearã, Brazil. Growing areas were visited from April, 28th to May 14th of 2003 and producers were asked to answer a questionnaire on harvest, packing, storage and transportation. The flowers studied were Heliconia, Alpinia, Zin giber. Costus, Tapeinochilos and Anthurium ssp. Data showed that flowers were harvested in the morning with transversal cuts and cut stems were kept in buckets with water, they were then taken manually to the packing houses, where they were hydrated for few hours. After hydration, stems were cleaned and immersed in a fungicide and insecticide solution (Captan Ig / 1L and Parathion Methyl lg / IL) and rinsed in warm water with neutral soap, except for Heliconias which are covered with powder. Cut stems are then air dried and packed in carton paper box (1,20x0,43x0,26m) and transported at ambient condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the quality and the conservation of Beehive Ginger (Zingiber spectabilis) two trials were conduc tedusing, 15 and 25°C; 0, 500 and 1000 ppb of 1- methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) as postharvest treatments. Postharvest quality and conservation of stems and inflorescences during storage were evaluated through a grade scale of appearance, where: 0 - turgid stem and inflorescences; 1 - beginning of stem yellowing and/or wilt, 2 - yellowing and/or partial stem wilt and/or beginning of bracts wilt, 3 - wilted stem and/or yellow and partial bracts wilt; 4 - wilted bracts and/or inflorescences' basis broken. Inflorescences with grade equal or lower than 2 (two) were considered commercially acceptable. At 25°C, application of 500 and 1000 ppb of 1-MCP promoted, respectively, 11 and 13 days of shelf life, while the control was of 10 days. At 15°C, control inflorescences were commercially acceptable for 15 days while doses of 500 and 1000 ppb prolonged shelf life up to 18 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugar apples were harvested at physiological maturity and exposed to 1-MCP (800ppb) for 12 hr and then stored at 15°C for 7 days. Fruit were removed after the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th day of cold storage and kept at ambient temperature for nine days to simulate commercial conditions. Physical and chemical characteristics plus ethylene and CO2 production were evaluated. Results show that independent of the cold storage period, fruit kept well for two days at ambient temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to assess the performance of acerola clones. The experiment was established in August 1999. Parameters evaluated were the height of the plants, diameter and canopy shape, and clone yield during a 3 years period. From May to August of 2001 samples of mature fruit were evaluated for vitamin C content, total soluble solids (° Bnx) and mean fruit weight. Differences detected reveal favorable conditions for plant selection. The clones I 13/2, 151/1, I 57/4 and II 26/4 were selected and are recommended for commercial cultivation in the Chapada do Apodi, with the names BRS 235 (Apodi), BRS 236 (Cereja), BRS 237 (Roxinha) and BRS 238 (Frutacor), respectively. The clone BRS 235 exihibited high productivity and mean fruit weight while clone BRS 236 showed the highest vitamin C content and the second highest production. The clone BRS 237 produced fruits with red-purple pulp, high consumer desirability, and plants with good shape, demanding less prunning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate of three doses of 1-MCP on soursop ripening. Fruit were harvested from 'Criuola' trees at physiological maturity. After selection, fruit were exposed to 0, 200, 400 and 600 ppb of 1- MCP for 12 hr, and stored for 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 days at 24.0±1.0°C and 90.8±7.3%RH. Respiration rate ethylene production, pulp firmness, soluble solids content (SS) and titrable acidity (TA) in the pulp were evaluated. Treatment with 1-MCP caused a delay in the two respiration peaks characteristic of soursop ripening. Respiration rate in treated fruit was lower than in non- treated and ethylene production was slowed until approximately 6 days after harvest. Ethylene peaks in non treated fruit occurred on the fourth day with rates up to twice those of treated fruit. Treated fruit were firmer until six days after harvest, especially those that were exposed to 200 and 600 ppb. 1-MCP benefits were not noticeable after 8 days. 1-MCP effect on SS content was significant only until 4 days after harvest. The increase in TA, characteristic of soursop ripening, has been slowed down in fruit exposed to 1-MCP, until 4 days after harvest. The most efficient dose was 200 ppb. Fruit remained firmer and with lower ethylene production as compared to other treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work was done with the objective of characterizing ripe sapodilla fruit for processing of juice and nectar. Preclimacteric sapodilla fruit were harvested in Paraipaba-CE, Brazil, ripened at room temperature (25°C) and analyzed for the following characteristics: weight (whole, skin, pulp, and seeds), size (length and diameter), soluble solids (SS, soluble sugars, reducing sugars, starch), titratable acidity, pH, vitamin C, pectin, phenolics and pectic enzymes (pectinmethylesterase and polygalacturonase). The average weight of the whole fruit was 125 g, with a high pulp yield, and the fruit diameter was greater than its length. The average contents of soluble solids and total soluble sugars were respectively 26°Brix and 22 %. Titratable acidity of 0.12% is low as compared to most ripe fruit, therefore sapodilla has a high TA/S S ratio (216). Reducing sugars represent approximately 68% of the soluble sugars content. Native enzyme activity was respectively 383 and 5 EAU for pectinmethylesterase and polygalacturonase. Despite the high acceptability for fresh consumption,, ripe sapodilla fruit still had a high average starch (5 %) and pectin (0.74%) content, which may impair juice stabilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugar apple fruit were harvested in Petrolina - PE, Brazil, in the preclimacteric stage and ripened at room temperature (25°C). Fruit were analyzed for weight (whole fruit, skin, pulp and seeds); size (length and diameter). The pulp of ripe fruit was analyzed for soluble solids - SS; soluble sugars; reducing sugars; starch; titratable acidity; PH; vitamin C; pectins; phenolics; activity of oxidative enzymes (peroxidase-POD and polyphenoloxidase-PPO); activity of pectic enzymes (pectinmethylesterase-PME and polygalacturonase-PG). Pulp yield was considered medium (48 %) as compared to other fruit. SS content reached 27°Brix and titratable acidity 0.34 % (as citric acid), with a SS/TA ratio of 80.14. Reducing sugars represented approximately 83 % of soluble sugars content. Biochemical analysis revealed high activity of POD (3789.67 EAU - enzyme activity units) and PME (4741.33 EAU), respectively, associated with pulp browning and softening of this fruit. Despite the high quality for fresh consumption, sugar apple has shown to be a difficult fruit to process, due to high content of starch (0.87 %) and pectin (0.66 %) in ripe fruit, together with high enzyme activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This workdesignal to develop postharvest technology for sugar apple (Annona squamosa L). Fruit were exposed to different dosages of 1-MCP (0,400, 800 and 1200 ppb) for 12 hrs and then stored at 15,5 ± 0,5°C. Physical and chemical characteristics plus ethylene and CO2 production were evaluated. Total soluble sugars content increased through storage, meanwhile pH decreased for all 1-MCP dosages. Fruits treated with 400ppb 1-MCPreduced ethylene production, thus this treatment showed the best results in keeping sugar apple postharvest life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immature and mature acerola from different clones were evaluated for physico-chemical characteristics at four seasons in 2002. Total soluble solids (°Brix), total titrable acidity (%), TSS/TTA, pH and vitamin C (mg/bog) were evaluated. Immature and mature Clone III 93/2 fruit had the highest TSS (°Brix). Mature fruit had lowest TSS/TTA ratios at the first two harvest periods during the rainy season. As the weather became drier, this parameter increased due to the concentration of soluble solids and the highest value was observed on the December harvest. Mature acerola had 41% less vitamin C than immature fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to select progenies of melons with greater quality and β-carotene content. Fruit from the second generation of 'Tupa' melon were analyzed for pulp color, texture, total soluble solids, total titrable acidity, pH, TSS/TTA ratio and β-carotene. The pulp of progeny 21 had the lightest salmon color, and the lowest β-carotene content on 0,76μg/mL. The β- carotene content was greatest for Progeny 26 (2,04μg/mL). The US, TTA, pH and TTS/TTA ratio did not show significant differences between progenies. The progenies showed significant differences in texture. Progeny 85 maintained the highest value of 20,7 N. There was an improvement in β-carotene content for Progenies 14, 26 and 85. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]