Ripening stages and tasting evaluation of fruits of subtropical fruit crops under the conditions of the Khorol Botanical Garden

Actuality.In the context of climate change, scientific and practical approaches in the field of plant introduction and adaptation make it possible to expand the cultivated ranges of valuable subtropical species.For the first time in the Poltava region, a collection of subtropical fruit crops has been established at the Khorol Botanical Garden, and their fruiting is one of the indicators of adaptation to new soil and climatic conditions.Determining the ripening stage of the fruits and their suitability for consumption is therefore a relevant and timely issue.The purpose of the study.The aim of the study is to determine the ripening stage of subtropical fruit crops from the collection of the Khorol Botanical Garden and to conduct their sensory (taste) evaluation. . 2, 2025 . Materials and methods.The research was conducted in the scientific zone and nursery of the Khorol Botanical Garden.The study material consisted of fruits of subtropical plant species: Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal, Mespilus germanica L., Prunus dulcis (Mill.)D.A. Webb, Prunus armeniaca L., Ziziphus jujuba Mill., Ficus carica L., Passiflora incarnata L., Punica granatum L., Diospyros virginiana L.Research methods: phenological observations, morphometric analysis, photographic documentation, descriptive assessments, and statistical calculations.Fruit ripeness was evaluated through sensory analysis during the stage of consumer ripeness.The research was conducted over the period 2021-2024.Research results.Based on the conducted observations, the consumer ripeness stages of the fruits of subtropical plant species were identified.The beginning and end of these stages were recorded as follows: the beginning was marked by the first possible harvest date of ripe fruits of a given species, and the end was defined as the date of the last harvest.The consumer ripeness phase for A. triloba lasted from the decade (hereinafter referred to as d.) of October to the d. of November, M. germanica - d. of October - d. of December, P. dulcis - d. of September - d. of October, P. armeniaca - d. of September - d. of October, Z. jujuba - d. of September - d. of November, F. carica - d. of July - d. of November, P. incarnata - d. of October - d. of November, P. granatum - d. of September - d. of November, D. virginiana - d. of September - d. of November.According to the sensory/tasting evaluation, the overall quality of each of the five breeding forms of Z. jujuba was rated at 9 points; four cultivars and three breeding forms of D. virginiana -at 7-9 points; 4 cultivars and 1 breeding form of F. carica -at 7-9 points; 1 cultivar and 6 breeding forms of A. triloba -at 7-9 points; 2 cultivars and 1 breeding form of M. germanica -at 7-9 points; 1 cultivar and 1 breeding form of P. dulcis -at 9 points; 1 cultivar of P. armeniaca -at 9 points; 7 breeding forms of P. incarnata -at 7-9 points; 2 cultivars and 1 breeding form of P. granatum -at 7-9 points. Conclusion.Based on the results of the conducted research, the consumer ripeness phases of the studied subtropical fruit species were established for the first time under the conditions of the Khorol Botanical Garden.Among the studied species, the earliest to reach consumer ripeness were the fruits of F. carica (second decade of July), while the latest were those of M. germanica (third decade of December).According to the sensory evaluation, the fruits of 15 cultivars and 25 breeding forms across 9 species (A.triloba, M. germanica, P. dulcis, P. armeniaca, Z. jujuba, F. carica, P. incarnata, P. granatum, D. virginiana) were of good to high quality