Physical characteristics of durian fruit cv. Long Lab-Lae produced in different regions

Abstract

Study of physical characteristics of Long Lab-Lae durian fruits produced in different areas, namely Uttaradit Province (Lab Lae and Mueang Districts), lower Northern region (Si Satchanalai District, Sukhothai Province, and Noen Maprang District, Phitsanulok Province), and Eastern region (Khlung and Khao Khitchakut Districts, Chanthaburi Province, and Mueang District, Rayong Province). Long Lab-Lae durian fruits were harvested at 105 days after full bloom (DAF) from farmer's orchards in each growing area. The study revealed that fruit size, peel color, and dry weight of durian peels from studied areas were not statistically different. However, the fruit from Eastern region had greater fruit fresh weight, stem diameter, stem length, peel fresh weight, peel thickness, and fruit core thickness rather than those fruits cultivated in Uttaradit and lower Northern Provinces. In the case of fresh characteristics, durian pulp obtained from Uttaradit Province had darker tone of golden yellow than those fruits harvested from other areas. Furthermore, cultivating in Uttaradit Province also provided the pulps with a greater percentage of dry weight, while the number of lobes per fruit, lobe size, pulp thickness, pulp firmness, and pulp fresh weight per fruit were not significantly different compared with other areas. In addition to pulp characteristics, seeds from durian fruits from Uttaradit Province, lower Northern and Eastern regions of Thailand had similarities in seed color value, number of seeds per fruit, seed width, fresh weight of seeds per fruit, and the percentage of dry weight of the seeds. Nevertheless, durian seeds obtained from Uttaradit Province were significantly longer and thicker and fresh weight per seed higher than the seeds from other cultivating sites. Therefore, the results of the research can be used to highlight the unique characteristics of Long Lab-Lae durian in each growing region and act as a guideline for developing and enhancing durian quality.