International Journal of Plant & Soil Science

Aims: To study the changes in physical and chemical parameters of karonda cv. Konkan Bold fruits during growth and development of fruits.

Place and Duration of Study: Fruit and Vegetable Processing Unit Laboratory at the Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli during the 2013-2014 period.

Methodology: During the course of investigation, the physico-chemical changes during growth and development were studied. Drying up of the stigmatic surface and swelling of the ovary were the indication of fruit set. Such set fruits were tagged on the selected karonda bush on the farm. The physico-chemical changes during growth and development of karonda fruits Cv. Konkan Bold were be recorded at the four growth stages: 1) Fruit set, 2) Half grown, 3) Full grown and 4) Ripe stage.

Results: As the fruit advanced from the set stage through to the full-grown stage, it was observed that attributes such as weight, volume, size, total soluble solids, total sugars, reducing sugars, and iron content of the karonda fruit increased. Conversely, the specific gravity and titratable acidity demonstrated a decrease from the fruit set to the full-grown stage. The days required to reach the full-grown stage from the fruit set was approximately 108.34 days. Furthermore, ripening from the fruit set took around 116.17 days.

Conclusion: physical characteristics such as weight, volume, specific gravity, length, diameter, and the number of days needed for various growth stages and chemical parameters T.S.S., reducing sugars, total sugars, acidity, and iron content can serve as a maturity indices for these fruits.