ผลของฤดูกาลการเก็บเกี่ยวและอายุการเก็บรักษาต่อการเปลี่ยนแปลงลักษณะทางสรีรวิทยา และองค์ประกอบทางพฤกษเคมีในเมล็ดและใบโกโก้

Abstract

Harvesting season may affect the development, morphology, leaf physiology and quality of cocoaafter harvesting. To clarityon this aspecta comparative study in rainy season and dry season was established and physical characteristics and phytochemical constituents in cocoa beans and leaves, and the effect of storage time and temperature on the quality of cocoa production. Was investigational data on morphology and physiology of leaf and seed characteristics, and flavor qualities of cocoa were recorded in both seasons. The results showed that the cocoa leaves harvested during the rainy season had a larger leaf area, a higher weight in fresh and dry, as well as the amount of phytochemicals, such as antioxidants, free phenolic compounds, flavonoids and tannins, than those harvested in the dry season. The study found the highest values of leaf area, fresh and dry weights, and the most specific leaf weight at the last stage (S4) or leaf age of 28-34 days. The leaf age of 9-14 days or the stage 1 (S1) exhibited the highest values of redness and phytochemicals than those of the other stages. In comparing the two harvesting seasons, the fresh pod weight, fresh weight of beans per pod, average fresh weight of cocoa beans, dry weight of cocoa beans and fat content in the cocoa bean during the rainy season were significantly higher than those of the beans harvested during the dry season. In the dry season, harvested cocoa beans were observed in fully brown form, which contained the best quality seeds, with the maximum values of full brown among the treatments. Regarding the raw bean aroma under the external evaluation and organoleptic evaluation, the cocoa beans harvested during the dry season had a richer and more complex flavor than those harvested during the rainy season. In the storage temperature experiment, the weight loss and browning index of cocoa beans stored at 15 °C were significantly less than those stored at 29 °C. Significantly higher numbers of the lightness, hue and firmness of the cocoa’s skin were found at the low-temperature storage during the storage life from 6 to 10 days, 2 to 8 days, and 4 to 8 days, respectively. However, the different storage temperatures did not influence TSS, TA and TSS/TA of the cacao pulp. Thus, this study shows that cocoa harvesting during the rainy season has a positive effect on the quality of cocoa leaves and pods due to the high content of phytochemicals in the leaves, cocoa beans and pods, and their good physical quality and flavor.