An experiment was carried out to study the efficiency of the starch degradation index for estimating maturity in mango 'Tommy Atkins' aiming its utilization as an alternative method at field. The efficiency of the method was evaluated through correlations between the index and each of the following traits: starch content, skin color, pulp color, pulp firmness, pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids, reducing sugars, and non-reducing sugars. The experiment was completely randomized with five treatments and six replications, and was based on pulp and skin colors. The treatments regarding pulp color were: I -- green; II -- green with yellow traces; III -- greener than yellow; IV -- yellower than green; and V -- with traces of green. With respect to skin color, it was utilized the same scale with the color varying from green to red. Generally there was good correlation between the index and each one of the traits studied, however pulp color had the best correlation coefficient. The correlation analyses indicate that the grower can utilize the method.
Mangifera indica L.; harvest index; maturity
