2.4. Fruit quality
Thirty fruit per replicate box were equilibrated in air at 20 C
overnight. Fruit skin color was determined using a colorimeter
(Model CR-2500d, Minolta, Tokyo, Japan) and the data were
recorded as CIE a*, b*, and L* values. Measurements were taken on
opposite sides of each fruit, midway between the pedicel and calyx.
L* represents fruit skin lightness. Fruit
firmness (FF) was measured
using a FirmTech 2 Fruit Firmness instrument (BioWorks Inc.,
Wamego, KS) by determining the force (N) requirement to
compress the fruit for one millimeter.