EVOLUZIONE DEI PARAMETRI QUALITATIVI E NUTRIZIONALI DI CULTIVAR DI ALBICOCCO IN POST RACCOLTA

Small fruit size is one of the limiting factors in marketing fruit of many species such as apricot. Synthetic auxins are effective in enhancing fruit growth when applied during the second stage of fruit development. These auxins are known by their ability to increase the cell size, which enhance fruit growth. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a synthetic auxin (Maxim®) on fruit size, quality and storage in Tom Cot® and Sweet Cot® apricot. The effect of 3,5,6-TPA was studied in 2009. Two different concentrations of Maxim® (12 cps/ha and 15cps/ha) were compared with a test (no treatment). The fruits of all treatments were stored (0,5°C; 95% R.H.) for 28 days. Fruit quality (considering weight, flesh firmness, total soluble solids content, titratable acidity, vitamin C content, CAT, total carotenoids content and skin colour) was determined both at harvest and weekly during the storage period. In addition to evaluate the shelf-life, samples of fruit of the three thesis were stored (3 days) at a temperature of +15°C and then analyzed. The positive effect of treatment with Maxim® was observed (weight increase) only in Tom Cot®. The most interesting result of this study is that the increased average fruit weight had no negative effect either on fruit quality at harvest, or on fruit quality after storage.