Effect of Harvesting Date on Quantitative and Qualitative Characteristics of Seedless Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) Fruit

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

J. Fallahi

P Rezvani Moghaddam

M Nasiri mahalati

Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

10.22067/gsc.v8i2.7520

Abstract

Abstract
Seedless Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) is one of the endemic and valuable shrubs that grow as a garden crop only in Iran. In order to study the effect of different harvesting dates (9 September, 1 October, 22 October and 12 November) on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of seedless Barberry, an experiment was carried out based on Complete Randomized Block Design with 3 replications at the Southern Khorasan province in 2008. Results showed that different harvesting dates had a significant effect on fresh fruit yield with branch, fresh fruit yield without branch, branch fresh weight, dry fruit yield, 100 fresh fruit weight, 100 dry fruit weight, pH, brix, acidity and anthocyanin index. The highest and the lowest fresh and dry fruit yield were obtained at final harvesting date (12 November). Moreover, with delaying in harvesting date the brix, pH and anthocyanin index were increased but acidity was decreased. The result of correlation coefficient showed that there was a positive correlation between pH and soluble solids content in extract. But correlation coefficient between pH and acidity was negative. Furthermore, correlation of anthocyanin with brix and pH was positive and its correlation with acidity was negative. Our results showed that the best harvesting date was 12 November that improved qualitative and quantitative indexes of seedless barberry for the studied region.

Keywords: Berberis vulgaris, Harvest date, pH, Brix, Acidity, Anthocyanin

20.1001.1.20081472.1389.8.2.6.3

---