Comparative Study of the Effect of Cultivar and Harvesting ‎Method ‎on the Marketing Quality of Three Local Orange Varieties ‎Produced in ‎Al-Zahraa City

Abstract

This study aimed to conduct a comparative assessment of the impact of pedicel retention during orange harvesting on the market quality of three commonly grown local cultivars: Kinny, Navel, and Tarocco. The significance of this work stems from the increasing incidence of mechanical defects and postharvest fungal infections observed in oranges harvested with the pedicel attached. A linear regression model was employed to identify the factors influencing cultivar differentiation. The results showed that the model was highly significant (p < 0.001) and explained approximately 45% of the variance in the dependent variable. Regression coefficients indicated that fruit weight and peel thickness were the most influential traits distinguishing the cultivars, while pedicel retention had no direct effect on predicting the variety. The correlation matrix revealed a strong association between mechanical defects and fungal infections (r = 0.60, p < 0.05), confirming that wounds caused by pedicel retention serve as a major entry point for postharvest pathogens. Negative correlations were also recorded between peel thickness and mechanical defects (r = –0.20, p < 0.05) and between fruit weight and defect incidence (r = –0.25, p < 0.05), highlighting the protective role of physical fruit attributes in reducing damage. The findings indicate that the impact of pedicel retention on quality is indirect, operating through increased friction and injury that facilitate pathogen invasion. The study underscores the influence of harvesting method on storability and market quality and recommends adopting harvesting practices that minimize fruit abrasion and reduce pedicel retention. Overall, the results reinforce the importance of improving harvesting techniques to reduce postharvest losses and enhance market quality within local orange production systems.

Keywords: Orange cultivars, Pedicel, Mechanical defects, Postharvest fungal infections, Market quality