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New exot in testing phase: Do pinching and post-harvest ripening influence yield and fruit quality of lulo?

Alexander Endreß1, Jana Messinger1
1 Ecological-Botanical Garden, University of Bayreuth

P 3.5 in Research Yields: Ideas Pursued to the End

The lulo (Solanum quitoense) is an exotic plant native to South America, that produces delicious fruits of exotic taste new to the European market. The plant has to be cultivated under greenhouse conditions and there is few experience on how to improve yield and fruit quality. Therefore we studied (1) whether pruning has an effect on yield, fruit size and quality and (2) if premature harvest and post-ripening processes influence fruit quality.

The plants were grown at the Ecological-Botanical Garden of the University of Bayreuth in 2012. The fruits of 12 pruned and 12 unpruned plants were compared in terms of fruit number, size, weight, colour, firmness, pH value, sugar and water content. 5 premature harvested fruits were subject to a post-ripening process and afterwards analysed as mentioned above to get information on fruit quality.

Pruning led to smaller fruits of brighter colour, lower sugar content and pH values. Yield, fruit number and water content were not affected. Fruits that did undergo a post-ripening process revealed a lower sugar content and pH value as well as a decline in optical properties.

In summary, lulo fruits can be produced in high quality under greenhouse conditions in central Europe. For high-value fruits pruning is not favourable and fruits should be harvested in mature state.

last modified 2013-10-01