An investigation entitled "Standardization of maturity indices for harvesting of Punjab Nectarine fruit" was carried out during 2020-2021 at the Department of Horticulture, Khalsa College, Amritsar. The objective was to study physico-chemical changes during growth and development and to standardize optimum harvest maturity. Full bloom was recorded on 22nd February, 2021. Thirty fruits were harvested at weekly intervals from 27 Days After Full Bloom (DAFB) to 76 DAFB and then at 2-day intervals from 76 to 86 DAFB. Fruits were analyzed for physical parameters - fruit weight, length, diameter, skin colour, stone weight, length, diameter, pulp:stone ratio, specific gravity, dry matter, firmness and bio-chemical parameters - TSS, titratable acidity, TSS:TA, total, reducing and non-reducing sugars, ascorbic acid and juice pH. Fruit growth followed a double sigmoid curve with three distinct phases: Phase I rapid growth 10-41 DAFB, Phase II slow growth 41-62 DAFB due to pit hardening, and Phase III final swell 62-83 DAFB. Optimum harvest maturity was attained at 83 DAFB i.e. 17th May, when fruits exhibited 59.97 g weight, 52.55 mm length, 47.55 mm diameter, orange-yellow ground colour with 80-90% red blush, pulp:stone ratio 9.33, specific gravity 0.92 g/cc, TSS 13.51 °Brix, titratable acidity 0.82%, TSS:TA 16.48 and total sugars 11.51%. Dry matter and ascorbic acid showed erratic and continuous declining trends respectively and were not found suitable as maturity indices.
Punjab Nectarine, DAFB, Double sigmoid growth, Maturity indices, TSS, Harvest maturity.
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