Postharvest Quality of Passion Fruit as Influenced by Harvest Time and Ethylene Treatment

Abstract

Greenhouse-grown purple passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) were harvested mature-green 55 or 60 days after anthesis (DAA) and stored for 10 days at 10C. After storage, half the fruit were treated with 10 μl ethylene/liter for 35 hours and then stored at 21C for 48 hours. Juice of treated and nontreated fruit was analyzed for comparison with juice of vine-ripened fruit (harvested 70 to 80 DAA). Sucrose concentration decreased and fructose and glucose concentrations increased after storage, regardless of ethylene treatment. Fruit harvested 55 or 60 DAA, with or without ethylene, had the same sugar and soluble solids concentrations and pH as vine-ripened fruit. Ethylene treatment enhanced surface purple pigmentation of fruit harvested mature-green.