KONVEKTIV QURITISH HARORATI VA VAQTINING ANJIR NAVLARIDAN TAYYOR MAHSULOT CHIQISHIGA TA’SIRI (SURXONDARYO VILOYATI SHAROITIDA)

This paper presents the findings of a multi-year study evaluating the effects of convective drying temperatures and processing durations on the dried product yield of six promising fig cultivars — Uzbekskiy zheltiy, Krym 9, Krym 29, Krym 43, Karshinskiy cherniy, and Dalmatskiy, grown under the subtropical conditions of Surkhandarya region. The experimental data revealed that increasing both drying temperature and exposure duration led to a consistent and substantial reduction in fruit yield due to intensive moisture evaporation, ranging from 68.7–77.9% at 40°C after 20 hours down to 8.7–13.7% following profound dehydration at 60°C after 80 hours. Distinct cultivar-specific dehydration kinetics were observed, governed by pericarp thickness, tissue density, and initial dry matter content. Uzbekskiy zheltiy (average yield of 42.04%) and Dalmatskiy (39.17%) exhibited notable technological stability and uniform moisture release, whereas Krym 29 and Krym 43 demonstrated rapid desiccation, achieving target moisture levels 10–15 hours earlier than the other cultivars. While drying at 40–45°C required excessive processing times (>70–80 hours) accompanied by high energy expenditure, exposure to 60°C provoked rapid surface hardening (case-hardening) and sensory degradation.