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Rambutan

Last updated
Last updated on November 2000
Authors

Adel A. Kader (in memoriam)

Product Description

Índices de madurez

Índices de madurez

Rambutan fruits are borne in clusters; each fruit has seeds surrounded by an aril (edible portion) which is covered by the pericarp and its hairs or soft spines or spinterns (1-1.5 cm long). Attainment of red color is the main harvest index. A minimum soluble solids content of 16% may also be used; cultivars vary in their maximum soluble solids content from 17 to 21%.

Índices de calidad
  • Size, uniform reddish, color, freedom from defects and decay
  • Sweetness is related to sugar content (average is 10% sucrose + 3% fructose + 3% glucose = 16% total)
  • Low acidity (average is 0.36%, mainly citric acid)
  • Good source of Vitamin C (average is 70mg/100g edible portion)
  • Browning, which detracts from visual quality, is directly associated with water loss and physical damage
Temperatura óptima

10-12°C (50-54°F) depending on cultivar (cultivars vary in their chilling sensitivity)

Storage potential = 12-14 days.

Tasa de respiración

20-60ml CO2/kg·hr at 25°C (77°F); non-climacteric respiratory pattern.
To calculate heat production multiply ml CO2/kg·hr by 440 to get Btu/ton/day or by 122 to get kcal/metric ton/day.

Respuestas al etileno

Rambutans are picked ripe and do not benefit from ethylene treatment or ethylene scrubbing during their postharvest handling.

Humedad relativa óptima

90-95%; maintenance of high RH is essential to minimizing water loss and preventing skin darkening (browning).

Tasa de producción de etileno

0.1 to 0.7 µl/kg·hr at 25°C (77°F)

Respuestas a la atmósfera controlada (AC)

An atmosphere of 3-5% O2 and 7-12% CO2 reduces respiration rate and retards red color loss and other symptoms of senescence. Postharvest-life potential in CA is 4 weeks (vs. 2 weeks in air).

Fisiopatías y daños físicos

Chilling Injury. Symptoms include dark-maroon coloration in some cultivars and bronzing in other cultivars of the skin and spinterns. The minimum temperature - time combination that induces chilling injury varies among cultivars from 5°C (41°F) for >7 days to 7°C (45°F) for >14 days.

Skin Splitting. Skin splitting of thin-skinned cultivars occurs after heavy rains or sudden uptake of water by the fruit during the latter stages of development.

Enfermedades
  • In most cases, postharvest-life of rambutans is terminated because of severe browning and other discoloration (resulting from physical damage, water loss, and/or chilling injury) rather than pathological disorders
  • Gliocephalotrichum bulbilium is a major cause of pre- and post-harvest rot. Infection is primarily through injuries including cut stem ends. Symptoms begin as light-brown, water-soaked areas in the rind and pulp which enlarge and become dark-brown to black
  • Stem-end rot, caused by Botryodiplodia theobromae, may affect rambutans in some production areas
  • Control strategies include effective preharvest disease control, careful handling to minimize physical damage, proper sanitation, and good temperature and humidity management

References

References from scientifically validated sources will be added in the future.