assessment of physico-chemical characteristics of strawberry (fragaria x ananassa duch cv camarosa) during fruit growth and development stages using principal component analysis

Purpose: the optimum harvest maturity for growers is depended onboth product and marketing conditions. non-climacteric fruits,especially strawberries, are generally harvested in fully ripen stage.the appearance, firmness, and phytonutrient compositions consistthe main quality parameters in this fruits. in the presentinvestigation, the strawberry fruits (fragaria x ananassa duch cvcamarosa) were harvested at seven different growth stages (50%growth, green, white, turning, 50% turning, ripening, over ripen) andevaluated for their physical and chemical characteristics. researchmethod: correlation of parameters and growth stages wereinvestigated by the statistical approach the principal componentanalysis (pca). findings: results revealed an increase in the totalsoluble solids (tss: 11.5 brix) and decrease in titratable acidity (ta:0.85 mg citric acid/100 g fw) and fruit firmness (1.27 n)parameters. the phenolic (151.43 mg gae/g fw) and flavonoidcontents (48.92 mg q/100g fw) were decreased until turning stage,whilst the trend was increased afterwards. the vitamin c (asa)amount was increased during ripening period, whereas it reachedup to 42 mg ascorbic acid/100 g fresh weight in ripen fruit. the pcaplot indicated that increasing of the fruit ripening, tss, asa, and tac(total anthocyanin concentrations) have been enhanced, althoughta and cl (chlorophyll) were declined. research limitations: nolimitations were encountered. originality/value: optimumharvesting period is a considerable factor for both consumers andfood industries, growth stages that it can be achieved to targetproduction of fruits with stable and predicatble physical, chemicaland phytochemical parameters.