ISHS Acta Horticulturae 807: International Symposium on Strategies Towards Sustainability of Protected Cultivation in Mild Winter Climate
GROWTH RATE AND CARPOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS DURING EGGPLANT FRUIT GROWTH |
| Authors: | C. Leonardi, F. Giuffrida |
| Keywords: | aubergine, harvesting, ripening, yield, quality |
| Abstract:
In eggplant, fruits are harvested at dimensions close to the maximum ones, even though it is not easy to estimate the final dimension that the fruit will reach at complete growth. However, an early or late fruit harvesting may have significant consequences, because a reduction of yield level or a negative influence of fruit characteristics, respectively. Considering the above, a research was carried out to provide more precise directions concerning the optimum growth stage for eggplant harvesting. In accord to the objectives of the research, fruit characteristics and growth rate were studied both destructively and non destructively; besides, in some plants, fruits were not harvested to reach physiological ripeness and growth rate was studied from setting up to physiological ripening. Considering the possible effects of growing and climatic conditions research was carried out during different seasons and with a different sink/source ratio. Results showed that, ripening is associated with shape variation and colour turning, the latter being uneven on the fruit skin. Fruit growth rate presented a different pattern according to climatic conditions and to sink/source ratio. In this research it was possible to define a function based on external fruit color allowing to better determinate the optimum harvesting stage. | |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) | |
