ISHS Acta Horticulturae 84: V Africa Symposium on Horticultural Crops
THE EFFECT OF ETHREL (2-CHLOROETHYL PHOSPHONIC ACID), SODIUM CHLORIDE AND ACETIC ACID ON SOFTENING OF NATURE DATE FRUITS |
| Author: | Peter O. Tingwa |
| Abstract:
Two traditional methods for accelerating softening of mature date fruits, using common salt and vinegar, were compared to softening by use of ethylene from ethrel. Three local soft date cultivars, Medina, Mishrig Wad Lagai and Mishrig Wad Khateeb were used. Both sodium chloride and acetic acid were much more effective in hastening the softening of mature date fruits than ethrel. Various concentrations of ethrel used 250 ppm, 400 ppm and 800 ppm did not very much affect the rate of softening, perhaps as a result of the advanced stage of maturity of the fruits. There are indications that polymerisation of tanins at the later stages of softening may be occurring non-enzymatically. Fruits which were artificially softened were less palatable than naturally softened fruits. | |
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