Performance of Grapefruit Under the Ecological Conditions of Central Sudan II Physicochemical Evaluation of Fruits

Abstract

The physical and chemical characters of fruits of 13' grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) cultivars were studied over the maturity period. Fruit weight increased with maturity and reached harvest size, 8-10 months after set. The edible portion (pulp) df the fruit increased; while the peel (rind) decreased in both weight and thickness with ripening. Percentage juice content increased with maturity and by the age of 10 months, all cultivars produced the level of juice (35%) acceptable by the industry. Both total soluble solids and sugar:acid ratio.increased with maturity. Significant differences in total acidity, which decreased with maturity, were observed· among cultivars. Ascorbic acid decreased with fruit maturity and significant differences were detected among the various cultivars. Reducing sugars, sucrose and total soluble sugars in pulp and rind increased with ripening. After maturity was attained, there was an appreciable increase in reducing sugars, and a slight decrease in sucrose, probably due to the inversion of sucrose to glucose and fructose.