ISHS Acta Horticulturae 538: Eucarpia symposium on Fruit Breeding and Genetics
USING SENSORY EVALUATION PANELS TO SCREEN APPLE BREEDING SELECTIONS |
| Authors: | C.R. Hampson, H.A. Quamme, J.W. Hall |
| Keywords: | Malus x domestica, fruit quality, fruit breeding |
| Abstract:
The success of a new cultivar depends in part on its eating quality relative to established varieties, but eating quality is difficult to measure objectively. Consumer tests require large amounts of fruit, and are usually done late in the breeding process, or not until after release. We have adapted conventional sensory methods to provide a procedure that is useful for screening apple breeding selections for dessert quality, beginning at the seedling stage. Judges rated texture and flavour on randomized coded samples (apple wedges) using a 0 to 9 bipolar, hedonic scale. Appearance liking was rated on coded samples of whole apple fruit. Trained judges assessed the degree of skin toughness, crispness, hardness, juiciness, aroma, sweetness and sourness on 0 to 9 unipolar intensity scales. A panel of 11 judges was generally sufficient to obtain statistical discrimination of one point on either of the 0 to 9 scales. Panel mean scores for breeding selections relative to internal standard cultivars have been consistent from panel to panel and year to year. These methods optimized the use of resources, permitted screening of large numbers of selections, supplied descriptive sensory profiles of the best selections, and provided a good preliminary prediction of consumer response. | |
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