| Popis: |
Instrumental texture profile analysis (TPA) of Nandini cucumber fruit, was measured as a function of its parts (stalk, mid and blossom), and maturity stages. These textural parameters; hardness, springiness, adhesiveness, gumminess, stringiness, fracturability, and chewiness of the fruit were measured; over a course of four maturity stages, 6, 9, 12 and 15 Days after Peak Anthesis (DAPA). The texture profile analysis was done by using the Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBS) method, and the results showed that maturity stage and fruit part significantly (P ≤ 0.05) influenced all the textural parameters evaluated. Over the course of maturation, all the parameters investigated were found to increase. During maturation, the stalk, mid and blossom hardness increased by 25, 26 and 32% respectively; springiness increased by 6.4, 7.7 and 6.2 % in the stalk, mid and blossom; gumminess increased by 57.7, 57.4 and 42.2% in the stalk, mid and blossom; chewiness increased by 60.5, 63.1 and 47% in the stalk, mid and blossom; fracturability increased from 89.13 to 118.29, 82.76 to 110.7 and 62.28 to 90.12 N in the stalk, mid and blossom; adhesiveness increased from 9.14 to 13.2, 8.49 to 12.27 and 7.15 to 9.83 Ns in the stalk, mid and blossom; lastly, stringiness increased from 20.05 to 21.61, 19.46 to 20.81 and 19.06 to 19.79 mm in the stalk, mid and blossom. The results showed significant correlation of all the parameters investigated with maturation and fruit part. |
