Uneven ripening is a disorder where a part of fruit remains unripe after the rest of the fruit has ripened. In strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.), it takes form as 'white shoulder' on the top or 'green tip' at the basal side of the fruit. This experiment aimed to determine the fruit characteristics and metabolite compositions of both evenly and unevenly ripe strawberry fruits in two varieties, 'Clery' and 'Asia'. The first part examined the effects of harvesting time on evenly ripe fruits. Results showed that the metabolite concentrations (SSC, sugars, organic acids, vitamin C, and phenolics) in fruits were more affected by harvest time than the fruit color and firmness. The second part compared the differently pigmented parts of unevenly ripe fruits. Results showed that the fruits’ more pigmented parts had higher concentrations of soluble solids, sugars, vitamin C, and phenolic compounds, and lower levels of organic acids and firmness. In the spring fruits of 'Asia', where the only 'green tip' form of uneven ripening was found, the highest concentration of sugars was found in the white part. It was speculated that the ‘green tip’ disturbed the enzyme activity and changed the normal pattern of sugar accumulation, while the ‘white shoulder’ didn’t, but this theory needs further research.
|
