Physico-mechanical and Chemical Properties of President Plum Affected by Aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) Treatment and Maturity Stages

Abstract

In the study, effects of aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) treatment and maturity stages on physico-mechanical and chemical properties of fruit of plum fruit (Prunus domestica cv. ‘President’) was investigated. The effect AVG doses for each maturity stage on geometric mean diameter and surface area of plum fruit was statistically significant. Geometric mean diameter and surface area were higher on 4 August harvest date than the other harvest dates. The effect AVG doses on the fruit volume and fruit mass of plum fruit were statistically significant for each maturity stage. While L*, b*, and C* color characteristics of plum fruit for all AVG treatments increased according to maturity stages. The effect of AVG treatments on the fruit removal force (FRF) and fruit hardness of plum fruit was statistically significant. The fruit removal force (FRF) and fruit hardness for plum fruit were higher as 19.17 N and 2.48 kg for 200 mg L^-1 AVG dose than the other AVG doses. The laminate and rubber friction surfaces offered the minimum and maximum friction with AVG doses treatments. The effect of AVG treatments on soluble solids content (SSC) and titratable acidity (TA) of plum fruit was statistically significant (p<0.01). The chemical characteristics such as pH and SSC of plum fruit were higher in AVG-0 treatment and latest harvest date than the other AVG treatment and harvest dates. For this reason, post-harvest technological applications (transporting, processing, storing and packaging systems) of the plum fruit must be designed while taking these criteria into consideration such as physico-mechanical and chemical properties.