Pre- and post-harvest factors that affect the quality and commercialization of the Tahiti lime
Description
Several factors along the Tahiti lime chain determine the final quality and safety of the fruit. In the pre-harvest, fruit quality is affected by crop location, soil and climate conditions, the rootstock, the cultural activities carried out, and the presence of pests and diseases. Also, post-harvest operations such as conditioning, transportation, and storage affect fruit appearance, quality, and market value. The following data correspond to the subjective assessment of fruits of Tahiti acid limes by visual review of their surface damage. Data are expressed as a percentage of fruits with damage in pre-harvest and post-harvest according to the effect of the location (Lebrija and Villavicencio), the rootstocks (Citromelo, Kryder and Volkameriana), the crop season (dry and rainy seasons) and the storage conditions (temperature and disinfection). In the current study most of the post-harvest diseases of Tahiti lime have their origin in the field. Also, preharvest damage are more frequent during the dry period. Likewise, field temperature and precipitation play a crucial role in Tahiti lime quality. This data can be used for identifying the causes that affect fruit quality in order to generate strategies to minimize fruit damage and maintain its quality.