Impact of harvest maturity on storage quality of apricot fruits

Harvested Xinjiang Saimaiti apricot fruits were classified according to the yellowing rate, into three different stages of maturity: I (colored area 80%). These were stored at 4 with 90% to 95% relative humidity (RH). The effect of harvest maturity on storage quality of the fruits was studied in terms of fruit firmness, soluble solid content, titratable acidity, chlorophyll, Vc content, and the commodity rate every 7 days. The results showed that the values of firmness, titratable acidity, and chlorophyll content of the apricots at maturity stage I were higher than those at maturity stages II and III during early phase of storage. After 35 d of storage, the titratable acid content at maturity stage I was still higher than that at the other two stages, while the firmness, soluble solid content, and Vc content at maturity stage II were higher than those at maturity stages I and III. In contrast, there was no significant difference in chlorophyll content among the three maturity stages. The commodity rates at maturity stages I, II, and III were 31.25%, 72.44%, and 16.08%, respectively, within their shelf life. Therefore, maturity stage II was most appropriate, implying maintenance of good quality during storage and shelf life for apricots harvested at this maturity stage. ©, 2015, South China University of Technology. All right reserved.