Effect of harvest time on quality and postharvest life of some quince fruit cultivars (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) in cold storage conditions

In order to determine the most appropriate harvest time and also to study the fruit quality of quince cultivars the fruits of Viduja, Isfahan and Torsh cultivars were harvested from research station of Mobarakeh. Then some quality traits of fruits at harvest and during cold storage (0 ± 1oC and 90 ± 5% RH. were evaluated during 5 months. The lowest weight loss was observed in Viduja (8.41%) cultivar in the fifth month of storage. The highest TSS was obtained in the third harvest time, after five months of storage for Isfahan quince. The highest firmness was achieved in the first harvest time and for Isfahan cultivar (3.54kg/cm2) and the lowest firmness was observed for Viduja cultivar (2.75 kg/cm2) in the third harvest time. Torsh cultivar in the third harvest time and Isfahan cultivar in the first harvest time and after five months of cold storage showed the most and the least total phenolics contents, respectively. Delay in the harvest time and increase in storage time resulted in decreased acidity, firmness, phenolics and pectin content and increased weight loss, total soluble solids, decay extension and surface browning rate. The best harvest time for Isfahan, Viduja and Torsh cultivars were 193, 185 and 200 days after full bloom, respectively. The best cold storage duration for all three studied cultivars was four months.