INFLUENCE OF HARVEST LOCATION AND CULTIVAR ON PERICARP BROWNING AND BIOCHEMICAL FRUIT QUALITY OF LITCHI (Litchi chinensis Sonn.)

摘要

Litchi is known for its delicious taste and reddish pericarp colour. However, pericarp browning limits the postharvest life of litchi fruit with reduced fruit quality. Therefore, present study was conducted to investigate the influence of harvest location (Lahore and Haripur) as well as cultivar ('Gola' and 'Serai') on pericarp browning, changes in the biochemical quality attributes and enzymatic activities in litchi fruit. Fruit harvested from Lahore exhibited significantly higher pericarp browning index (3.99), weight loss (12.7%), ascorbic acid contents (48.9 mg 100 g(-1)) and activities of enzymes responsible for browning (peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase) as compared to Haripur. Moreover, fruit harvested from Lahore exhibited less SSC: TA ratio (105.3), total phenolic contents (187.35 mg GAE 100 g(-1)), total antioxidants (45.27%) and activity of superoxide dismutase enzyme (40.86 U mg(-1) protein) than that of Haripur. On the other hand, 'Serai' fruit exhibited higher weight loss (12.86%), SSC (19.58oBrix), TA (0.24%), activities of peroxidase (35.81 U mg(-1) protein) and polyphenol oxidase (25.22 U mg(-1) protein) enzymes. Moreover, lower level of TPC (202.9 mg GAE 100 g(-1)), total antioxidants (50.2%), activities of superoxide dismutase (39.85 U mg(-1) protein) and catalase (22.32 U mg-1 protein) enzymes were observed in 'Serai' than 'Gola' fruit. Results suggested that fruit harvested from Haripur exhibited better fruit quality characteristics and browning index than fruit harvested from Lahore. Cultivar 'Gola' showed better quality with less pericarp browning than 'Serai'.