This work aimed to determine the physiologic maturity of yellow passion-fruit produced in North Fluminense, with the aim of advancing the point of fruit harvest and improving the quality and shelf life the fruit. The fruit were harvested in three different periods. Harvest 1 occurred during the 45 days after anthesis (daa); harvest 2 from 54 daa and harvest 3 from 63 daa. After each harvest, the fruit were washed, dried and separated in two groups for evaluation. The first group was evaluated immediately after the harvest, and the second was stored in a chamber at room temperature (23 ± 3 ºC and RH 85 ± 8 %). The fruit were evaluated periodically in interval of 3 days, for the following quality attributes: skin color and thickness, juice yield, soluble solids (SS) and titratable acidity (TA) contents. Results indicate that the time of yellow passion-fruit development, between the periods of 45 to 63 daa, influenced the fruit quality of the harvest in the region. For the conditions of this study, the optimal time of harvest was at 63 daa, although fruit may however, be harvested by 54º daa, with loss around 21.0 % on juice yield. Also, during the ripening stages of the passion-fruit, it was seen that the attached fruit show a delay in color progress and reduction in the thickness of the skin, when compared with harvested and stocked fruit.
development; passion fruit; Passiflora edulis Sims.; quality
