Postharvest quality of atemoya at various stages of ripeness grown in semi-arid conditions

Atemoya has a short post-harvest shelf life due to its high metabolic activity. Limited information is available on the optimal harvest time for atemoya grown in semi-arid conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of atemoya fruits at various maturity stages under semi-arid conditions. Fruit was harvested from a commercial orchard and the experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design (CRD) with a 3x5 factorial scheme. This included three maturation stages (100, 105, and 110 days after pollination - DAP) and five refrigerated storage periods (0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 days), with four repetitions. The fruits were stored at 15 ± 2°C and 74 ± 2% RH and subjected to physical, chemical, and biochemical evaluations. Throughout storage, there was a significant fresh mass loss of 13.83, 11.99, and 11.92% for fruits harvested at 100, 105, and 110 DAP, respectively. Firmness and starch content also decreased as starch was converted into sugars. Across all maturation stages, the shelf life was limited to nine days due to compromised appearance, primarily cracks and peel darkening. Fruits harvested at 105 and 110 DAP exhibited better quality at the end of storage, including improved appearance, greater mass, lower weight loss, and higher soluble solids and vitamin C content. The results suggest that atemoya fruits can be harvested between 105 and 110 DAP under semi-arid conditions. Thus, atemoya shows commercial potential for production in the semi-arid region.