Potential maturity indices and developmental aspects of melting-flesh and nonmelting-flesh peach genotypes for the fresh market

Potential maturity indices were determined for two melting-flesh (FL 90-20 and 'TropicBeauty') and two nonmelting-flesh ('Oro A' and Fl 86-28C) peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch.] genotypes. A range of developmental stages was obtained by conducting two harvests and separating the fruit based on diameter. Fruit in each category were divided into two groups. One group was used to determine potential maturity indices: soluble solids, titratable acidity, soluble solids to titratable acidity ratio, peel and flesh color on the cheeks and blossom end, cheek and blossom-end firmness, ethylene production, and respiration rate. The other group was stored at 0 degrees C for 1 week and ripened at 20 degrees C for 2 days to simulate handling conditions and presented to a trained sensory panel, which rated the fruit for three textural aspects (hardness, rubberiness, and juiciness) and six flavor aspects (sweetness, sourness, bitterness, and green, peachy, and overripe character). Principal component (PC) analysis was used to consolidate the results of the descriptive sensory evaluation into a single variable that could be correlated with the objective measurements at harvest. The attributes that best correlated with the first sensory PC of each genotype, and thus are promising maturity indices, were as follows: for FL 90-20, peel hue, peel L, and cheek firmness; for 'TropicBeauty', peel L, cheek firmness, and blossom-end firmness; for 'Oro A', cheek firmness, blossom-end firmness, and cheek chroma; and for 86-28C, blossom-end firmness, cheek hue, and cheek firmness.