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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #332950
Research Project: Quality, Shelf-life and Health Benefits for Fresh, Fresh-cut and Processed Products for Citrus and Other Tropical/Subtropical-grown Fruits and Vegetables

Location: Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research

Title: Effect of vector control and foliar nutrition on the quality of orange juice affected by Huanglongbing: Sensory evaluation

Author
item Plotto, Anne
item Baldwin, Elizabeth - Liz
item Bai, Jinhe
item Manthey, John
item RAITHORE, SMITA - Former ARS Employee
item DETERRE, SOPHIE - Former ARS Employee
item Zhao, Wei
item STANSLY, PHILLIP - University Of Florida
item TANSEY, JAMES - University Of Florida
item NUNES, CECILIA - University Of South Florida

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/9/2017
Publication Date: 9/7/2017
Citation: Plotto, A., Baldwin, E.A., Bai, J., Manthey, J.A., Raithore, S., Deterre, S., Zhao, W., Stansly, P., Tansey, J., Nunes, C. 2017. Effect of vector control and foliar nutrition on the quality of orange juice affected by Huanglongbing: Sensory evaluation. HortScience. 52(8):1092-1099. doi:10.21273/hortsci12002-17.

Interpretive Summary: As the devastating citrus greening disease (Huanglongbing - HLB) spread across Florida, horticulturists have tried to slow the progression of the disease. In this study, insecticide treatments were applied to control the insect vector of the disease, in combination or not with foliar nutritional sprays to maintain tree vigor. This paper reports on the juice quality which results from these horticultural field applications. After 3 years, all foliar applications improved the quality of the fruit and juice in comparison with conventional horticultural practices, suggesting that the beneficial effect of nutritional and insecticidal treatments was cumulative, only manifesting on the third year of the study.

Technical Abstract: A 3-year study was undertaken to establish the effect of field nutritional sprays, combined or not with insecticide treatments against Asian Citrus psyllid, on the fruit quality of ‘Valencia’ orange trees affected by the greening disease Huanglongbing (HLB). Four replicated plots were harvested, juiced and pasteurized. Nine to 12 trained panelists evaluated the juice using 7 flavor, 5 taste, 4 mouthfeel and 3 aftertaste descriptors. There was little difference between treatments in 2013; only orange peel flavor and bitterness were significantly lower for the insecticide treatment. In 2014, positive attributes such as orange and fruity flavor, sweetness and mouthfeel body were significantly higher in the insecticide treatment. Sourness was highest in untreated control, and there was no differences between treatments for bitterness. In 2015, negative attributes such as grapefruit, orange peel and typical HLB flavor, sourness, bitterness and astringency were significantly higher in untreated control fruit, suggesting perhaps that the beneficial effect of nutritional and insecticide treatments was cumulative, only manifesting on the third year of the study. Data are discussed in relation to juice chemical composition, including volatiles, sugars, acids, limonoids and flavonoids.