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Hass avocado quality varies by origin, season, and production practices. However, there is a lack of methodologies to guarantee that fruit reaching the market has consistent quality. The aim of this work was to identify predictive markers for quality management. Fruit samples produced under different nutrient management, elevation, date-to-harvest, and growth cycle conditions were analyzed. Dry matter, oil content, internal disorders, sensory attributes, minerals, and fatty acids were evaluated as quality variables. The results highlighted soil and weather differences among orchards. Nutrient management practices based on index balancing in some samples increased both productivity and fruit size. High variability was observed in the dry matter related to the age of the fruit at harvest. Ripening heterogeneity was very large in low-elevation orchards where the fruit was picked relatively early. High flesh mineral contents delayed fruit ripening. At low growing temperatures, more oleic and linoleic acids were present in fruits. The sensory texture and taste descriptors were affected by the fruit age and related to the flesh composition. Logistic, PLS-DA, and biplot models effectively represented the variabilities in the ripening pattern, composition, and sensory profile of avocado fruits and allowed the samples to be grouped according to the internal fruit quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hass avocado quality varies by origin, season, and production practices. However, there is a lack of methodologies to guarantee that fruit reaching the market has consistent quality. The aim of this work was to identify predictive markers for quality management. Fruit samples produced under different nutrient management, elevation, date-to-harvest, and growth cycle conditions were analyzed. Dry matter, oil content, internal disorders, sensory attributes, minerals, and fatty acids were evaluated as quality variables. The results highlighted soil and weather differences among orchards. Nutrient management practices based on index balancing in some samples increased both productivity and fruit size. High variability was observed in the dry matter related to the age of the fruit at harvest. Ripening heterogeneity was very large in low-elevation orchards where the fruit was picked relatively early. High flesh mineral contents delayed fruit ripening. At low growing temperatures, more oleic and linoleic acids were present in fruits. The sensory texture and taste descriptors were affected by the fruit age and related to the flesh composition. Logistic, PLS-DA, and biplot models effectively represented the variabilities in the ripening pattern, composition, and sensory profile of avocado fruits and allowed the samples to be grouped according to the internal fruit quality.

The most important issues that affect consumer fruit acceptance in the ‘Hass’ avocado international market are flesh disorders. These defects can be influenced by both pre- and postharvest factors. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the harvest season, storage time, mineral content, and preharvest variables on internal fruit disorders. Here, fruit was sampled from four farms in Antioquia (Colombia) at 22%, 26%, and 30% dry matter (DM) content. Samples were stored and ripened under simulated export conditions. Then, flesh bruising, flesh discoloration, body rots, vascular browning, stem end rot, and mineral content were assessed. The results showed that flesh disorders differ among farms and by harvest index and storage time. The most frequent defects found were vascular browning and stem end rot. Boron, calcium, nitrogen, manganese, magnesium, and potassium have a strong relationship with flesh disorders. Therefore, high boron and calcium contents, as well as a harvest at 26% DM, can substantially reduce avocado flesh disorders and improve internal fruit quality. Farmers that had a high flesh and soil mineral content and low rainfall and temperature produced fruits with fewer internal disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most important issues that affect consumer fruit acceptance in the ‘Hass’ avocado international market are flesh disorders. These defects can be influenced by both pre- and postharvest factors. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the harvest season, storage time, mineral content, and preharvest variables on internal fruit disorders. Here, fruit was sampled from four farms in Antioquia (Colombia) at 22%, 26%, and 30% dry matter (DM) content. Samples were stored and ripened under simulated export conditions. Then, flesh bruising, flesh discoloration, body rots, vascular browning, stem end rot, and mineral content were assessed. The results showed that flesh disorders differ among farms and by harvest index and storage time. The most frequent defects found were vascular browning and stem end rot. Boron, calcium, nitrogen, manganese, magnesium, and potassium have a strong relationship with flesh disorders. Therefore, high boron and calcium contents, as well as a harvest at 26% DM, can substantially reduce avocado flesh disorders and improve internal fruit quality. Farmers that had a high flesh and soil mineral content and low rainfall and temperature produced fruits with fewer internal disorders.