Physico-chemical and sensory evaluation of fruit quality of introduced exotic apple varieties under high density plantation in Kashmir Valley

This study investigated the performance of various exotic apple varieties grafted on M9T337 rootstock under high density orcharding system. Plant material was imported from a private nursey GRIBA Italy. The study was carried out under temperate conditions of J&K (India) at the experimental field of SKUAST-Kashmir. In the present investigation, the following varieties were studied: Super Chief Sandidge, Gala Red Lum, Fuji Zhen Aztec, and Golden Clone B. The physico-chemical characteristics based on lab investigation of fruits including physical characteristics (fruit weight, fruit length, fruit diameter, L/D ratio, fruit firmness, specific gravity, and no. of seeds) and chemical characteristics (TSS, total titratable acidity, TSS/acid ratio, ascorbic acid, total sugars, and juice content) were followed during the study. Sensory evaluation through a panel of judges was also carried out for various qualitative characteristics (colour, aroma, taste, and flavor). The results showed statistically significant differences among the different varieties. The fruit weight, flesh firmness, and specific gravity were within the range of 157.62-193.99 g, 7.16-8.85 Kg/cm2, and 1.7-1.37 respectively. Similarly, some of the chemical characteristics like TSS, titrable acidity, and total sugars ranged from 11.37-14.12 °Brix, 0.20-0.38 per cent, 9.25-11.37 per cent respectively. The overall results indicate that all the introduced apple varieties are characterized by different quality characteristics and hence can be recommended to further evaluation and cultivation.