Abstract:
This study was conducted to determine the effect of different harvesting date on the shelf life of eggplant (So/anum molengena). Eggplant trees were planted with fertigation system at Green House, Department of Agrotechnology, and University Malaysia Terengganu. The entire samples ware tagged after flower bud emerged and harvested at three different times where the first harvesting dare was (25 days after tagging), second harvesting date (30 after tagging) and third harvesting date (35 days after tagging). After harvesting, all the samples were evaluated with physical and chemical analysis of firmness, skin color, vitamin C, pH, and total soluble solid (TSS) every 3 days over a storage at ambient for 9 days. The fruit of the first harvesting date contained high sugar compared to the second and the third harvesting. The higher content of vitamin C was obtained in the third harvesting date followed by second harvesting date and first harvesting date. The pH value of three harvesting dates showed an increase trend from day O until day 9 during storage (24±0.2°C). The firmness was higher in the first harvesting date compared to the second and third harvesting dates. The high value of firmness also related to the shiny skin color of eggplant. From the results, the best quality of eggplant was found when the fruits were harvested at 25 days after tagging (flower bud emerged). This stage had high total soluble solid, shiny skin and flesh firmness.
