PRACTICAL - 2 DATE:

JUDGING MATURITY OF FRUITS

Maturity indices used vary among fruits and often among cultivars within a specific
fruit, but generally include one or several (combination indices) of the following: fruit size
and shape, overall colour, colour of skin, flesh colour, fruit firmness, soluble solid content,
starch content, acidity, and internal ethylene concentration.

Mango
1. Slight colour development on the shoulders or firmness of the shoulders and the
pedicel colour changes from green to brown.
2. When one or two ripe fruits fall from the tree naturally (Tapka stage).
3. Skin colour changes from dark green to olive green.
4. Days from fruit set to maturity (Alphonso and Pairi require 110 to 125 days)
5. When the specific gravity of fruits ranges between 1 .01 to 1 .02.
6. Flesh firmness of about 22 lbs/Sq. Inch and TSS reaches 11-15° Brix.
7. Lenticels become more prominent and waxy bloom gradually disappears.
8. Growth of fibres on the stone/corrugations.
9. Flow of latex from the stalk and its faster drying.
10. Appearance of bloom on the surface of the fruits.
11. The shoulders have outgrown the stem end (best stage for export).

Banana: The fruits are harvested at different maturity level based on distance of transport.
Harvest 75-80% mature for long distance and 90-100% for short distance transport.
1. Measuring of fruit length and fruit circumference with a tape.
2. When the pulp: peel ratio reaches 1.2-1.6.
3. Days taken from emergence of inflorescence (95-110 days).
4. Disappearance of angularity of the fingers from triangular to round.
5. Brittleness of floral ends which falls with a slight touch.
6. Drying of top leaves in some varieties.
7. Use of rings appropriate to variety.

Guava: There are two types-white fleshed (rich in vitamin C) and red fleshed (vitamin A).
Flowering to harvest takes around 120 days (17-20 weeks), colour change from dark green
to light green and change in flesh texture. TSS: 12.0 to 12.6, total sugars 9.84 to 10.44%,
acidity: 0.36 to 0.41, specific gravity 1.0, attaining maximum size according to varieties and
ease of detachment are the maturity indices.
Grape
1. Heat units: 3200-3600 units
2. Grape is harvested when they reach a TSS of 16 to 24% depending on variety.
 Bangalore blue : 12-14%  Thomson seedless : 20-22%
 Anab-e-Shahi : 16-18%
3. Texture of pulp (softness) and Peel colour (light yellow)
4. Easy separation of the berries from the bunch
5. Development of characteristic flavour and aroma.

Papaya
1. The fruits can be harvested at the appearance of yellow streaks on the dark green
surface.
2. Seed colour and jellyness of the seed are other criteria at ripening.
3. For local markets, half yellow fruits could be harvested.
4. Fruits attain maximum size depending upon the variety. It takes around 140 days
normally from flowering to harvest and in some varieties; it ranges from 145- 160
days.
5. There is reduction in the latex flow from the fruits and the density is also diluted.
6. Fruit stalks easily separate from the trunk.
7. Pulp changes from light yellow to yellow, orange or red, and texture becomes soft.
TSS of 10.67%.
8. Local market: When skin colour changes at the apical end of the fruit.
9. Long distance transport: When the skin colour changes from green to yellow up to
of 6%.

Pineapple
1. Approximately 110 days between the end of flowering and the attainment of
ripeness.
2. Smooth Cayenne and similar varieties produce a light yellow or golden yellow
colour when ripe, while ‘Red Spanish’ variety turn reddish brown, yellow or light
orange colour.
3. For local market: When 75% of surface changes to yellow colour.
 4. Long distance-All the eyes are still green with no trace of yellow colour (75-80%
maturity)
5. In India, pineapples are harvested when the colour changes from green to greenish
yellow.
6. The fruit develops a smooth surface around the eyes and flattening of eyes.
7. TSS: acid ratio of 21 to 27 and specific gravity of 0.98 to 1.02.

Jackfruit
1. A dull hollow sound is produced when the fruit is tapped by the finger.
2. The last leaf of the peduncle turns yellow.
3. Spines on the fruit become well developed and wide spaced.
4. An aromatic odour develops.

Pomegranate
1. The fruits are ready for harvest between 135-170 days after anthesis.
2. The fruit colour changes in summer to dark yellow and in winter to dark red.
3. Calyx at the anterior end of the fruit curves inward and become hard and dry at
maturity.

Sapota
1. The peel shows a dull orange or potato colour with a yellowish tinge when scraped.
2. The scurf content on the surface of the fruit will be minimum & easily fall off.
3. The content of milky latex drops to almost zero.

Citrus
1. Maturity indices differ among the citrus species/varieties.
2. Mandarins - When the rind colour changes from green to orange colour.
3. Sweet orange - When the rind colour turns to yellow.
4. Limes - When the rind colour changes to light green to yellow colour.
5. The ISO has set in minimum juice content of citrus as follows.
 Washington Navel Oranges - 30%
 Other orange varieties - 35%
 Grape fruit - 35%
 Mandarin orange - 33%
 Lemon and limes - 25%
Aonla (Indian gooseberry): Fruits are ready for harvest around 100-130 days (3/4—full
maturity). Maximum size, reduction in fibre content, increase in acidity, maximum vitamin C
(around 600 mg/l00 g), glittering appearance, stones become hard, seeds mature (brown or
purple in colour and hard to press), initial drop of matured fruits and TSS 12.3° to 19.7° Brix
are maturity indices.
Ber: The fruits are harvested in around 160 days from flowering. Fruits are to be left on the
tree till they attain full size for the particular variety and the skin colour changes from green,
light green, greenish yellow, yellow and golden yellow. The fruits are harvested depending
upon the market distance from breaker stage (light green) to golden yellow. If left beyond
golden yellow the fruits turn brown to dark brown colour and the pulp becomes discoloured.
Initial dropping of fruits and fruits damaged by bats are some other indices.
Figs: Figs must be fully ripe at harvest to be of good keeping quality. Harvest maturity is based
on colour and firmness. Calymyrna figs should be yellowish white to light yellow and firm to
slightly yielding for the best harvest maturity. Harvested when fully mature, if they are to be
sweet and have good flavour. For making preserves, the fruits should be harvested when fully
ripe.
Custard apple: Fruits take 110 days from anthesis to harvest. The eruption of areoles flattens,
valleys between eyes widens and colour changes to creamy white. At full maturity there is ease
of detachment of the stalk from fruits (However could be harvested 7 days ahead of ripening),
attains maximum size and texture softens. Fully ripe fruits have a TSS of 30°Brix, acidity 0.26
to 0.65% and 28 to 55% of edible portion.
Jamun (Syzygium cumini): Around 105-110 days from flowering, change in colour from
green to purple, texture changes, ease of detachment from the stem, (when the branches are
shaken fruits at right maturity fall).
Dates (Phoenix dactylifera): Dates vary with variety in texture, contents of invert sugar and
sucrose, moisture and colour. Fresh Dates must be plump, soft, firm, smooth, golden brown to
almost black depending on variety and free from dirt, mould and insect infestation.
Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana): At maturity skin becomes tough and forms excellent
protectant for the soft package and carriage over long distance. Flesh colour white, slippery
and translucent, lower epidermis below the skin develops dark violet colour. TSS is 17.0-17.2°
Brix, reducing sugars 3.29 to 3.33%. Acidity is 4.48 to 4.52%. Ease of detachment of fruit stalk
from stem, greenish sepals turn purplish brown.
Avocados (Persea americana): Fruits grow continuously in the tree, but will ripen only after
harvest. The stage of maturity is of critical importance for successful storage. Too immature
fruits must be avoided as they tend to be inferior in flavour and texture on subsequent ripening.
Based on size, shape and colour, avocados are harvested between 140-180 days after flowering
and when the oil content is around 8%.
Litchi (Litchi chinensis): Litchi fruits are harvested when they are fully mature and ready to
eat as they do not ripen after harvest. Colour break i.e., red colour develops (formation of
anthocyanin pigments). The maturity of the fruit is indicated when tubercles become somewhat
flattened and the shells become smooth. TSS is not a reliable criterion as a maturity index in
litchi. However, TSS/titrable acidity ratio is recommended. TSS/titrable acidity ratio of 30-40
in litchis is considered to be the stage of harvest.
Apple (Malus domestica): The best maturity index is the number of days from full bloom to
harvest. Delicious variety, harvested after 135 to 140 days from bloom, ripens with fair dessert
quality. Optimum maturity is reached after 140 to 150 days, and is ideal for prolonged storage.
Pear (Pyrus spp.): The desert fruits picked too early will be poor and if picked too late, the life
is shortened. During maturity, the colour changes from dark green to light green or yellowish
green. Unlike apple, firmness of pear flesh declines from well before ripeness to eating
ripeness. Hence, firmness of flesh has been made use of as a test for measuring the maturity of
pears.
Peach (Prunus persica): The fruits might be either freestone or cling stone and yellow or white
fleshed. They do not mature uniformly and have to be picked as and when they ripen. Colour,
size and suture filling are the indices used for picking the fruit from the tree. The parameters
used for measuring the maturity of peach are Magness-Taylor pressure test (5/16 inch plunger:
0.5 to 1. 5 lb) made on both sides of the cheek for firmness of flesh, titratable acidity and in
some, total chlorophyll content in flesh.

Plums (Prunus cerasifera): The colour characteristic of the variety when ripe is a good
criterion for determining harvest maturity. The colour of the mature plum may be light green,
yellow or red depending upon the variety.

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca): Fruits do not mature uniformly. Selective harvesting has to be
done. Apricots must be tree ripe to attain a pleasing flavour characteristic of the fruit. Fruits
with greenish colour those are firm to hard should not be selected and fruits with full colour,
firm ripe to ripe, but not mushy and overripe should be chosen.
Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa): Selection of the fruit is on the basis of colour. The fruit
should be harvested when ½ to ¾ of the fruit has developed colour. Fresh strawberries must
be clean, bright and firm with attached calyx. Most berries should be full red and all have at
least ¾th surface red or pink. A dull or shrunken appearance indicates over ripeness.

STUDY QUESTIONS:
1. Determine the stage of maturity for any five climacteric fruits.
2. Climacteric fruits are more advantageous than non climacteric fruits for transportation.
Justify.
3. List out at least 10 available methods for judging maturity in fruits with examples.

S. N Maturity methods Examples

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PRACTICAL - 3 DATE:

JUDGING MATURITY OF VEGETABLES

TOMATO: Tomato can be harvested at different stages of maturity based on distance and
purpose.
1. Immature green: Dark green colour.
2. Mature green: Light green colour at blossom end has changed to yellowish green
colour. Such fruits develop good colour when ripened under favourable condition, and
such fruits are used for shipping to long distances.
3. Turning or breaker: 1/4th of the surface fruit at blossom end shows pink colour. Such
fruits are used for short distance transport (100- 150 km).
4. Pink/ half ripe stage: 3/4th surface of the fruit shows pink or red colour and they are
used for local markets. Such fruits develop good colour after ripening.
5. Hard ripe stage: The complete surface of the fruit turns to red or pink colour. But flesh
of the fruit is very firm. Mainly meant for local markets or short distance of 20-25 km.
6. Red or over ripe stage: Fruits are harvested when they fully turn to red or pink and
are soft. Such fruits are preferred for processing.

POTATO:
1. Slipping of the skin from the tuber surface.
2. Drying of the top portion or above ground portion (haulm).
3. Tubers are characterized by high starch content.
4. Number of days from Date of planting which varies with variety to variety.
5. However, early harvesting reduces the keeping quality.

SWEET POTATO
1. When the leaves turn yellow and begin to shed, tubers can be harvested.
2. The tubers can also be cut and judged. In immature tuber, cut surface shows dark
greenish colour while the colour will be milky white in fully mature tubers.

ONION
1. The above ground portion dries up or neck fall.
2. Development of characteristic pungency.
3. The best time of harvest is when 15-25% of tops have broken over.
GARLIC
1. When the tops turn yellowish to brownish and show sign of drying up and broken over.
2. Bulbs mature by 4-6 months after planting depending upon the cultivar, soil, season,
etc.

WATER MELON
1. A dull hollow sound is produced when mature fruits are thumped with fingers in
contrast to metallic sound in immature fruits.
2. The portion of the fruit touching ground turns to yellow or creamy yellow colour.
3. Withering of tendril at the fruit axil.

MUSK MELON
1. The fruits are harvested either at full slip or half slip stage.
Full slip stage: The fruits can be easily separated from the vine with little pressure or
jerk, leaving clean stem cavity.
Half slip stage: Require more pressure to separate the fruits from the vine. This stage
of fruits is suitable for distant markets.
2. Colour: Colour changes from mottle green to light yellow.
3. TSS: at least 10%.

CAPSICUM
1. Green pepper varieties - Fully mature green fruits should be harvested before ripening.
2. Red and yellow varieties - Fully mature fruits at the onset of colour change.
3. Pepper fruits at the time of harvest should be firm and crisp not tender and immature.

OKRA
1. Immature green, tender fruits should be picked 3rd to 5th day from the time of first pod
formation or 3 to 7 days after flowering.
2. Should be harvested when the fruit is bright green, the pod is fleshy and seeds are small.
3. After that, the pod becomes pithy and tough, and then the green colour and mucilage
decrease. Development of crude fiber is used to determine the optimum stage of
maturity.

DRUMSTICK: Pods of sufficient length and girth are harvested before they develop fibre.
CUCUMBER: Fruits can be harvested from 45 days after sowing. The tender fruits (for salad)
can be harvested on 8-10th day of flowering.
GHERKINS: The crop is ready for harvest between 30 and 35 day after planting. The price of
the produce is fixed only by the grade of the fruit.
Sl. No. Grade No. of fruits/kg Biggest fruit Smallest fruit
1 S1 250+ 4.0g -
2 S2 150-250 6.6g 4.0g
3 S3 120-150 8.3g 6.6g
4 S4 80-120 12.5g 8.3g

1. S1 (smallest sized fruits) fetches the highest price in the market. To obtain this grade,
the fruits should be harvested between 4th and 5th day of anthesis /pollination. If one
day is exceeded, the fruits grow to next grade which will fetch a lesser price.

FRENCH BEANS
1. Tender and fleshy pods can be harvested before the formation of fibre for vegetable
purpose.
2. Seed size, percent seed, dry matter content, distribution of seeds are the reliable
maturity indices when the crop is harvested for seed purpose.

PEAS: The maturity of the pods is indicated by the change of pod colour from dark green to
light green with well-filled grains/seeds.

STUDY QUESTIONS:
1. List at least ten vegetables each harvested based on horticultural maturity and physiological
maturity and justify.
2. Classify tomato fruits based on maturity stage and its purpose.
3. What are the main problems associated with delayed harvesting in root vegetables.
4. List out at least 10 available methods for judging maturity in vegetables with examples.
S. N Maturity methods Examples
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

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PRACTICAL - 4 DATE:

JUDGING MATURITY OF PLANTATION AND SPICES CROPS

Coconut: Coconut takes 11-12 months from flowering to harvesting. At maturity, the fibre
colour of the mesocarp turn to brown and water content is reduced. For copra production, the
nuts should be harvested when fully ripe.

Arecanut: For preparing chali nuts, fully ripe, nine months old fruits, having yellow to orange
red colours are harvested. For making Kalipak, the nuts of 6-7 months maturity with dark green
colour skin are used.
Cashew nut: The turning of apple colour from green to yellow or orange indicates maturity.
The real fruit (nut) is ripe when it loses its green colour and takes on gray brown or ash colour.

Oil palm: Bunch ripeness is identified by detachment of the fruit, change in colour and fruit
texture.
1. Detachment of fruit: When fruit reaches harvesting stage, few fruits (5-10) will be
easily detachable from the bunch.
2. Colour changes: During ripening colour changes to yellow or orange yellow.
3. Texture: Fruit become smooth when ripe and fruits can be pressed with finger with
ease.
Cocoa
1. Fruit colour changes from green to yellow or orange according to variety when fully
ripe.
2. In Cv. Critollo the red coloured pod turns to dark as they ripe with traces of orange
colour.
3. In Cv. Forestero, the green or green-white pods turn yellow or Orange.

Black pepper - When one or two berries on the spike turn to yellow or red.

Cardamom
1. Capsule colour turns from dark green to light green or yellow colour.
2. Seed colour changes to dark colour.
3. Capsules are harvested at different stages of maturity and distinguished as bud stage,
tender stage (gathered for making pickles), brown seed stage (shrink on drying,
shrivelled appearance), dark seed stage (right stage for curing), full ripe stage (seed
purpose only).
4. If they are left to ripen further, the capsule split during drying.
 5. If picked unripe or under ripe stage, the capsule will shrink while drying, resulting in
shrivelled appearance with their small seeds. The capsules should be harvested with
peduncles as and when they are ready. The capsules should not be stripped.
Ginger
1. When the leaves turn yellow and start gradually drying up.
2. The crop is harvested between 245-260 days according to the duration of the varieties.

Turmeric
1. The crop is ready for harvesting when the leaves turn yellow and start drying up.
2. The crop is ready for harvesting in about 8-9 months after sowing.
Vanilla
1. When the beans turn from dark green to light green or pale yellow, fine yellow streaks
appear on the pods from its distal end. This is the best time for harvesting the beans.
2. Immature pods yield inferior product and over matured pods split during curing.

STUDY QUESTIONS:
1. Write the practices of judging maturity in coffee.
2. Write days taken for flowering to harvesting in plantation and spices crops.
S. N Crops Days taken maturity
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16

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