Anti-Oxidant Activities, Chemical Attributes and Fruit Yield of Peach Cultivars as Influenced by Foliar Application of Ascorbic Acid

Peach fruit is enriched with natural antioxidants but oxidation caused by biotic and abiotic stresses, reduce these antioxidants and consequently effect the quality and yield of the fruit. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to investigate the role of ascorbic acid to sustain the natural antioxidant activity, improve the fruit quality and yield of peach cultivars (Early Grand and Florida King). The peach cultivars, Early Grand and Florida King were tested against four levels of ascorbic acid (200, 400, 600 and 800 ppm) and compared with control as water spray. The foliar application of ascorbic acid significantly influenced anti-oxidant activity and physico-chemical attributes of peach cultivars. However, the foliar application of ascorbic acid @ 800 ppm significantly increased the fruit weight, fruit yield, fruit firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, antioxidant activity of fruit peel, with least percent infected fruits and fruit juice pH as compared to the rest of the treatments. Similarly, significant variation was recorded for peach cultivars regarding anti-oxidant activity and various physico-chemical attributes. The maximum fruit weight, fruit yield, fruit firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acidity and TSS/TA ratio were noted in fruit of cultivar Florida King. On other side the foliar treated fruit of peach cultivar Early Grand had the highest percent infected fruits, fruit juice pH and antioxidant activity of fruit peel. It is concluded from the significant findings of present research that the peach cultivar Florida King performed better in terms of maximum fruit yield, whereas the cultivar Early Grand produced better quality fruits with high anti-oxidant activity when treated with 800 ppm of ascorbic acid as foliar spray.