CHANGES IN QUALITY PARAMETERS OF 'SATSUMA' MANDARIN DURING FRUIT DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH OPTIMUM HARVEST MATURITY

The objective of this study was to determine quality changes of the ‘Satsuma’ mandarin cultivar growing in Dörtyol and Samandağ districts of Hatay province in Turkey. The research was carried out in 2003-2004. Fruits were obtained from trees which were grafted on Sour Orange rootstock. Fruit width, length and weight, skin color (L*, h°), fruit juice, total soluble solid (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), juice pH and TSS/TA were measured on fruit samples in similar size that were collected from trees from June to ripening. Samples were taken at 7 to 15 days interval during fruit development. Data indicated that skin color especially h° value of CIE L*a*b*, fruit juice, TSS and TSS/TA were important criteria in determining optimum harvest maturity. This period lays between mid-October (177-185 days after full bloom) for ‘Satsuma’ mandarins in Dörtyol and Samandağ.