PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHANGE OF INDIAN OLIVE (ELAEOCARPUS FLORIBUNDUS BL.) FRUIT OCCURRING AT DIFFERENT FRUIT AGES

Abstract

Stage of fruit maturity at harvest is the most important factor determining storage life and final fruit quality. Fruit ripening involves several different processes, both metabolic changes and physical softening. Ripening of the fruit involves a series of complex biochemical reactions such as hydrolysis of starch, production of carotenoids, anthocyanins and phenolics and the formation of volatile compounds. There is less information regarding physico-chemical changes that may occur during different stages of maturity of Indian olive. Keeping these in view, the present study was carried out during 2015-17 to study the physico-chemical changes during the growth and developmental stages. In this experiment, different physical (Fruit weight, specific gravity, length & breadth) and chemical (TSS, titratable acidity, total sugar, ascorbic acid & total phenol) observations were taken at 5 days interval. Fruit weight was increased from 8.94g (5 days after fruit set) to 22.49g (40 days after fruit set). Highest TSS (9.96obrix) and highest ascorbic acid (48.86mg/100g) was recorded at 40 days after fruit set and it was declined at senescence stage. The growth and developmental stages followed single sigmoid growth curve following cubic trend model & optimum maturity was reached at 40 days after fruit set.