Post-harvest quality of ‘BRS Kampai’ peach submitted to different pruning times

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate pruning time and refrigerated storage influence in ‘BRS Kampai’ peach cultivar. Fruits coming from plants that were pruned during winter (WP), summer (SP) and winter plus summer (WSP), which were stored in a refrigerated chamber for 0, 10, 20 and 30 days at 1 ºC ± 0,5 °C and 90% ± 5% RH. Pruning only in the summer provided higher SS/TA ratio, higher firmness and red intensity in the fruit evaluated. At the end of 30 days, acidity reduction reached 20% compared to the initial value. In the same period, fruits showed 50% of the initial firmness. Matter loss during the storage period was described by a positive linear equation, with 12.0% loss at day 30, after removal from the chamber, and 17% loss after two days at room temperature. Under the conditions in which the experiment was conducted, it was concluded that summer pruning alone provides high SS/TA ratio, as well as increased red color in fruits. In addition, storage period increase causes chemical and physical changes in ‘BRS Kampai’ cultivar fruits. During the storage period, fruits kept acceptable firmness levels, even after 30 days of storage.