PRODUCTION OF VOLATILE AROMATIC COMPOUNDS IN BIG TOP NECTARINES AND ROYAL GLORY PEACHES DURING MATURITY

Aroma is one of the important indices for evaluating fruit quality. The formation of aroma compounds during fruit maturation is a dynamic process, so the volatile composition changes both qualitatively and quantitatively. In immature peaches and nectarines, C₆-aldehydes and alcohols are the major components. During fruit maturation, C₆-compounds decrease and those of - decalactone and -decalactone, benzaldehyde and linalool increase significantly (Horvat et al., 1990; Robertson et al., 1990). The aim of this paper was to study the production of aromatic compounds in relation to fruit maturity at different picking times.