PJB-2018-81
EFFECT OF ROOTSTOCKS ON POSTHARVEST QUALITY OF PEACH FRUIT CV. ‘FLORDAKING’
Dr. Muhammad Javed Tareen
Abstract
Peach is the most important stone fruit crop after apricot in Pakistan. Mostly, high yields are dependent upon the selection of proper rootstock along with some promising scion varieties. The peach fruit being highly perishable requires great care during harvest and postharvest handling. In this study the effect of three different rootstocks; GF-677, Peshawar local (PL) and Swat local (SL) were evaluated on peach fruit cultivar ‘Flordaking’. The rootstocks were evaluated by determining performance of the fruits at 0 ±0.3 °C during five weeks storage period. Effect of the rootstocks on different fruit quality parameters were observed during the storage life included; percent weight loss, skin color luminosity (L*), chroma (C*) and hue angle (h°), fruit flesh firmness, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), SSC:TA ratio, fruit juice pH, total sugars, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and free radicals scavenging activity. The post-harvest performance; storage period, decreased weight losses, higher flesh firmness, lower SSC, highest TA was found in fruits of trees grafted on GF-677 rootstock whereas pH of fruit juice was recorded with no difference between GF-677 and PL rootstocks and higher in SL rootstock. Highest SSC:TA ratio was observed in fruits from SL rootstock. Quality parameters of; skin color, GF-677 rootstock showed significantly higher L* (lightness), lowest changes in C* while, for h° the treatments showed similarity in their performance. The rate of increase in total sugars was significantly lower in GF-677 rootstock. Free radicals scavenging activity and ascorbic acid content were significantly higher in the fruits from GF-677 as compared to other two rootstocks.
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