Morphological and physiological changes during growth and development of wood-apple (Feronia limonia (L.) Swingle) fruit

Abstract

Background and Objective: Wood-apple is a fruit plant of many benefits, i.e., as ingredients in beverage and food, medication, rootstock for citrus plant and building material. Unlike fruit in general, fruit maturity of wood-apple is not followed by a visual color change as an indicator of maturity. The research objective was to study the morphological and physiological changes during the growth and development of wood-apple fruit, so it can be used to determine the harvesting time of the fruit to obtain high quality. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted by observing the growth and fruit development wood-apple, beginning from anthesis until the fruit mature. The experimental design used was a completely randomized design consisting of nine fruit ages of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 months after anthesis and mature fruit exactly detached from the tree, hereinafter called the fallen mature fruit. Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and followed by DMRT. Results: Weights and fruit diameter increased during growth and fruit development, from anthesis until 6 months after anthesis and stopped increasing until the mature fruit fell off the three. Similarly rind thickness and weight of the rind and flesh of fruit and seed weight also increased and reached a maximum at the age of 6 months after anthesis. Total sugar content and total soluble solids of fruit flesh increased in line with the increasing age of the fruit and reached a maximum when the mature fruit detached from the three. In contrast phenolic content decreased with increasing age of the fruit and reached a minimum at the time of fallen mature fruit. Conclusion: Wood-apple fruit maturity occurred when the mature fruit exactly detached from the tree or called the fallen mature fruit at age 8.25-8.75 months after anthesis.