U.K. Acharya and B. Chalise
National Citrus Research Program, Dhankuta
Horticultural Research Station, Rajikot
Corresponding author: umeshach@gmail.com
Received on: 6-7-2017, revised on: 26-8-2017, accepted on: 30-8-2017

DOI

ABSTRACT

An experiment was carried out to benchmark suitability of new citrus maturity index (BrimA) against
traditional sugar and acid ratio and feasibility of new machine (G-won fruit acidity meter) to measure
titratable acidity (TA) against titration method. Six types of citrus fruits (Delight mandarin, Navel orange,
Murcott mandarin, Okitsuwase mandarin, Tahitan lime and Eureka lemon) each containing 20 fruits were
collected from various source. The total soluble solid was measured using bench-top refractrometer and
TA was measured using conventional titration method (0.1N NaOH) and G-won acidity meter. The G-
won instrument was found equality effective as conventional method and due to portability and ease of
use it could be recommended to researcher, teaching institutions and big farms related to citrus fruit
quality analysis. Further, the BrimA index, which takes account of demerit of TSS/TA ratio with addition
of fruit taste component while measuring maturity index, was also found promising. The BrimA value of
3.5 for early maturing Satsuma mandarin in mid-hills of Nepal could be taken in to a harvesting indicator.
Further, there is need of identification of BrimA index value for other Citrus fruit grown in diverse agro-
climatic condition of Nepal.