PHYSIO-CHEMICAL ASSESSMENT OF JUJUBE (ZIZIPHUS MAURITIANA L.) GENOTYPES AT THREE RIPENING STAGES GROWN UNDER CHOLISTAN DESERT, PAKISTAN

Jujube belongs to the family “Rhamnaceae” is an evergreen plant having 170 species. It is a highly nutritious fruit crop riched in phenolic, antioxidant, and flavonoids. However, in Pakistan, it is considered a neglected crop with very little work performed and is growing in the Cholistan desert of Pakistan without any evaluation. This paper describes the physical and biochemical attributes of eight jujube genotypes (Anokee, Ajoba, Bahawalpur selection, Dilbahar, Dehli white, Karela, Mahmood wali and Gola) with its three stages (Unripe, Semi ripe and Fully ripe) growing in Cholistan dry and hot climatic conditions. The results revealed that these genotypes have significant variations in fruit traits such as fruit length, fruit width, and fruit weight during the ripening stages and the maximum increase in these parameters were observed at the fully ripe stage of jujube. Similarly, in biochemical analysis, TSS, total sugars, reducing and non-reducing sugars were increased with maturity and were highest at the fully ripe stage. Whereas, titratable acidity and ascorbic acid contents were decreased with maturity and were least at the final stage. However, total phenolic and flavonoids were highest at the semi-ripe stage. In physical evaluation, the genotypes “Gola”, “Mehmood wali” and “Dehli white performed better in the climatic conditions of Cholistan, Bahawalpur. While the genotypes “Dilbahar”, “Anokee”, “Karela” and “Bahawalpur selection” were enriched with phenolic and flavonoid contents.