The effect of harvesting stage and storage duration on fruit quality of physalis) Physalis angulate L. (

To evaluate the effects of harvest time and duration of storage on the fruit quality and storage longevity of physalis )Physalis angulate L.(, an experiment was carried out based on completely randomized design (CRD), with three replications in 2016. Factors were three fruit harvest stages (mature green, yellowish green, and yellow) and storage times (0 (harvest time), 10, 20, 30 days). The results showed that different harvest times and storage durations had significant effects on the fruit quality indices and storage longevity. The highest value of flavor and fruit color index, vitamin C (201.54 mg) and total soluble solids (TSS) (7.6 percent of brix) contents were obtained in the fruit harvested at the yellow stage under 10 days storage duration, and with longer storage duration reduced vitamin C and TSS contents. The maximum titratable acidity (1.71 mg/100gr) and pH of fruit were observed at the mature green stage in harvest time. Chart differences color in storage was accompanied by an upward trend in the amount of mature green fruit significantly different than the fruit was yellowish green and yellow. According to the results, because of climacteric nature of physalis fruits, gradual ripening and fruit color change, harvesting of fruit at mature green stage increased the storage life up to 30 days at 15 °C compared to other fruits harvested times.