Nutritional assessment of kinnow mandarin fruit (Citrus reticulata blanco), infected by few sucking insect-pests of citrus

Abstract

Present study was planned to investigate the detrimental effects of sucking insect-pests of citrus i.e., aphid, citrus psylla, white fly and thrips on various fruit related attributes and selected nutritional profile in Kinnow mandarin (Citrus reticulate Blanco). A marked enhancement from 15 to 416 in sucking insect-pest population was observed throughout the entire duration of study. A significant decline in fruit weight, total soluble solids, juice percentage and acidity while an augmentation in pulp weight and juice pH was recorded in response to elevation in infestation by target sucking insect-pests. However, quality characteristics like pulp/peel ratio, and peel weight had non-significant effect of insect-pest attack. A strong correlation was also established between infestation strengthen (insect-pest population) and fruit weight, total soluble solids and juice percentage.