FRUIT RIPENING EVOLUTION IN 'SETTEMBRINA DI LEONFORTE' AND 'GIALLA TARDIVA DI LEONFORTE' PEACH [PRUNUS PERSICA (L.) BATSCH] ECOTYPES

The aim of this research was to define the most appropriate harvesting time for the late ripening peach ecotypes ‘Gialla Tardiva di Leonforte’ and ‘Settembrina di Leonforte’. Farmers used to apply a paper bag to each fruit to protect it from Mediterranean fruit fly egg-laying. The use of this cultivation practice reduces the use of pesticides with a major impact on consumer choice, but makes it more difficult to identify fruit commercial harvest time. The study was carried out using destructive quality indexes and the DA-Meter. The results showed a good correlation between DA-Meter classes and the chemical and physical characteristics of the fruit, giving useful information on fruit ripening and for of harvest time.