I . . ts l t i.

, : - ,

International Journal of Nuts and Related Sciences 3(1):1-6, 2012

ISSN 2008-9937

Evaluation of fruits cultivar and different harvest times of Damghan pistachio to

early split complications and contamination to the Aspergillus flavus fungus
1 2 3
Amini F. , Afshari H. , Mohammadi Moghaddam M.
1
Graduate student, Damghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Damghan,
Iran
2
Assistant Professor, Damghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Damghan, Iran
3
Researcher of Damghan Pistachio Research Station

Abstract: Study the effect of fruit cultivar (intact, early split, irregular crack) on (Akbari, Abbasali,
Khanjari)
cultivars in Damghan city to Aspergillus Flavus fungus and effect of harvest time in early split pistachio
in
1389, sampling from orchards has been performed. Samples after grinding by dilute cultivating in a
specific AFPA medium bottles in a completely randomized model were three times recultivated. Colonies of
A. flavus after3 to 7 days, were isolated, identified and counted. The results of Duncan grouping were analyzed
by SAS software. Results of that study of contamination of samples to A. Flavus fungal Showed The
contamination of the samples to the fungus A Flavus differ from each other, there is less contamination in
the Khanjari cultivar and more contamination in Akbari cultivar. With delay in the harvest time,
percentage of intact fruits and without front skin cracking decrease. The lowest percentage of early split (0
first) was at first harvesting time (Shahrivar 10) in Akbari cultivar and the highest percentage of early
split (Shahrivar 20) in the the second harvest time in the Akbari cultivar.

Keywords: Aspergillus flavus, cultivar, early split, harvesting

times

INTRODUCTION created on the Green skin, exactly coincide with the

Pistachio fruit is sensitive to contamination by
Fungi such as Aspergillus flavus and
Aspergillus parasiticus that produce Aflatoxins.
Fruit skin cracking reduce the fruit quality that
during harvest and after harvest will reduce fruit
skin quality and affect its market friendliness [3].

Fruit cracking may occur when the fruit is still

attached to the tree. Fruit cracking in stone fruit,
seeded fruit, grapes and vegetables has been seen.
skin cracking and surface cracks of fruit may be
the result of a number of factors including water
stress, insect, spraying.

Early split pistachios, are abnormal Pistachio nuts

that both green skin and bony skin, simultaneously
crack at the split place. In other words, cracks
1
www.SID.ir
split of bony skin and so the kernel ntofJ Nu & Re a ed Sc maturity.(Prior
3(1) 1 6 2012 to separation of the, soft skin from,
pistachio is visible. In this cultivar of bony skin), so in this case the soft skin is attached
cracks because the edible part of fruit to the bony skin and does not have the necessary
(the kernel) is directly exposed to the flexibility. By premature Splitting of hard skin the,
attack of spores and fungi, is one of the soft skin also crack from the hard skin split spot.
most important factors in Aflatoxin This condition is called early split [2].
production in orchards [1]. When the harvest time for Pistachio nuts draws
near, Aflatoxin generator fungus population density
These Pistachios are abnormal because
increase within orchards and it appears to be a
the. hard skin split occurs before

*Corresponding author: Fatemeh Amini, Graduate student, Damghan Branch, Islamic Azad University,
Damghan, Iran Email: aminiba.43@gmail.com

2
www.SID.ir
Int. J. Nuts & Related Sci., 3(1):1-6 ,
2012
correspondence and Int. & Related Sci., were
alsoJ. Nutsreduce sampled.
3(1):1-6 , sampling with
between the 2012
contamination of new interval of 10
From late Mordad,
increase of the Pistachio nuts [8]. days during the
coincide with the
density of spores three phases, at
Fruit growth of product maturation, we
of this fungus and each phase the
Pistachio nuts in select the orchards and
the growth of percentage of nut
orchards is associated collect samples of
Pistachio nuts side pistachios
with soft skin and three varieties of
fruit [12]. (intact, early split
bony skin. When the Pistachio nuts (Akbari,
Mojtahedi and and irregular
fruit matures the soft Abbasaly Khanjari). of
colleagues in cracks) are
skin separate from the 1.5 kg from each
1979 reported calculated and
Hard skin. And cultivar, in
the Iran's after separation
cracking of Hard skin
Pistachio nuts of this Pistachio
is important for Fruits
orchard fruits nuts from each
contamination [6]. market friendliness
other we separate
[6].
the green skin and
The Aspergillus
The purpose of this sun-dried them.
flavus fungus
study is Since the
group and
assessmenting the distribution of
Aspergillus niger
effect of fruit cultivar toxic and
population
(early split, irregular contamination
increases by
cracks and intact) and dispersion in
approaching
different times of different parts
harvest time due
harvesting of the krenel
to the increased
phenomenon on early of pistachio is
abundance of
split of Pistachio nuts different and
cracked poured
on (Akbari, Khanjari estimating the
Pistachio nuts on
and Abbasali), extent of fungal
the orchard floor
cultivar. A.flavus infection
and
and aflatoxin
contamination
MATERIAL requires achieving
increase by S AND
METHODS a quite uniform
contact with the
and
fungus mentioned
Sampling: In order to homogeneous
above .we can also
study the extent of sample, pistachio
mention more
contamination of samples are
time exposer to
Pistachio nuts of grinded. Grinded
the spores in the
Semnan province to samples by dilute
atmosphere of
A.flavus group of cultivating
Pistachio nuts
fungus aflatoxin method cultured
orchards. Timely
different parts of on surface
and Early
Damghan city environment of
harvesting reduce
Pistachio nuts Aspergillus
Pistachio nuts
cultivation of fresh flavus parasiticas
fruit
pistachios in 1389 Agar (AFPA )
contamination
 1
medium to 10- ,0.01
Int. J. Nuts & Related Sci., 3(1):1-6 ,
2012 RESULTS
. ML of AND
(Compl above DISCUSSIO
N
etely sample
randomi were Results of
zed cultuered A. flavus
design on surface colony
with of AFPA
counts is
three medium
shown in
replicati petri
Table 1. As
ons). dish.Petri
can be seen
Fungi of dishes were
in Table the
This kept at
results from
group 2
6 these
on the A.flavus
AFPA °
colonies
specific suggest that
C
medium . The fungal
produce contaminatio
After 3 to
Conidiel n of the
7 days of
es of samples of
cultivation,
typical kernel of
colonies of
yellow pistachio is
A. flavus
to olive different for
were
green. various
counted and
Pistachios.
From separated,
As such in
each the
some cases
cultivar contaminati
there was no
the on in
amount fungal
various
of 10 gr contaminatio
samples
kernel n of A.flavus
were
of and some
compared.
pistachi samples
Obtained
o in showed high
Data using
diluted contaminatio
SAS
method n of this
software
was fungus.
analyzed
added to (Table 1).
and compare
90ml Evaluating
with
peptone the result
Duncan test
water
was
1% and
performed
then
at 5% level.
diluted
Int. J. Nuts & Related Sci., 3(1):1-6 ,
2012
(Duncan's multiple range tests) isInt.indicated
J. Nuts &the
Related Sci.,second
3(1):1-6(Persian
, date Shahrivar 20) and third
2012 of fungal
difference between that average numbers (Persian date Shahrivar 30) is quite significant.
colonies different samples of Pistachio nuts in 1%
statistical level is of significance. (Table 2) The Effects of harvest time on the percentage of the

results of these investigations show the delay in the early split product showed the lowest percentage of
early split is zero in the first harvest (Persian date
time of harvest reduces percentage of intact,
Shahrivar 10) in Akbari cultivar, and most early
and un-cracked front skin fruits .this difference
split of Pistachio nuts 7.5% in the second harvest
between the times of first (Persian date Shahrivar
(Persian date Shahrivar 20) in Akbari cultivar.
10), and

Table 1: Comparison of pistachio samples colony numbers of fungi A.flavus of Damghan

No.almond sample The average number fungal colonies

1 0

2
2 5.7×10

2
3 2.1×10

4 0

2
5 1.33×10

2
6 6.3×10

7 0

8 0

2
9 0.333×10

2
10 .066×10

2
11 1.6×10

2
12 2.3×10

13 0

2
14 1×10
Percentage difference of early split between the Assessment of different harvest time effects
second and third times with first time means the showed that the delay in harvesting increases the
early harvesting can be effective in fungi Aspergillus flavus contamination of the
reducing product. (Figure 2)
contamination of pistachio A.flavus fungi.

SID
of
Fig 1:Means of A.flavus fungi in different pistachio cultivars
 SID
Fig 2:Means of A.flavus fungi in harvesting time
The results showed that the delay in harvesting product contamination to fungus Aspergillus
reduces the percentage of intact fruit (without flavus

cracking the green skin) Intact skin of fruits until .also the delay in the harvest increases tarnished

harvest is important because as long as the pistachio.

front skin is intact it acts as a deep barrier against

Evaluation the effects of different harvest times,
penetration of external agents such as insects,
showed that the contamination in the first harvest
fungal spores and dust and also helps moisture loss
has a significant difference with the second and
of the fruit
third times of harvest. The test results is consistent

In this study, the delay in harvest increase the fruit with the results of Taj Abadi Pur (1383) study

early split. Shatzky and colleagues (1997) reported about the effects of harvest time.

that the early split is the main cause of fungal

Results of research on Kerman Ohadi Pistachio
contamination and aflatoxin production.
shows that best time of harvest for highest weight

The results of this study showed that the highest dry product occurs in the first week of Mehr and

fungus Aspergillus flavus contamination occurs in maximum percentage of early split fruit occurs in

the last harvest, and least contamination in the first the third week of Mehr. Most productive fruits

harvest. In other words, harvest at the first occur at the fourth week of Mehr and least

weeks productive fruits occur at second week

after physiological maturity of product, of

reduced Shahriwar [4].

REFERENCE Pistachio Research Institute Publications No.

1. Taj Abadi Pur,A;1999. Early split complications 77/450, 15

and its percentage in various pistachios.

2. Taj Pur Accumulation of 9. Moradi ,M; Taj Abadi
Abadi,A; And aflatoxin generator Pur,A; and B. Panahi
5. Doster;M.A.and
M. Fooladi;
factors to 2004. The
2005. T.J.Michailides.19
determine the early the date
Identification 95 the
starting point of pistachio
and develepoment of
contamination in spliting
determination early split
pistachio relationship
of aflatoxin pistachnuts and
production process And changes
contaminated the contamination
and its control. The in their
pistachio in by molds
final report of physical
processing .Aflatoxine and
Pistachio Research properties and
stage. insect
Institute of Iran. aflatoxin
Pistachio .first international
contamination
Research symposium on
in three
Institute's final pistachionuts.20-
Commercial
report. 24 September
varieties in
Rafsanjan 1994.Adana Turkey.
Acta Hurticulturae Iran (Ohadi,
0.16
419، 359- Ahmdaqayy
3 and
3. 6
4 Kaleghoochy).
Syahkvhy.B;2 . the final
010. The
report of
effects of
6. Afshari.H; 2009. Pistachio
concentration Differences in Research
and time of nutrient in early Institute of
spraying of split and healthy Iran.
gibberellic pistachio’s green 10. Moradi, M.,
acid on the skin and phenolic and H.
reduction of and Galic acids Masoomi .
green effect in green skin Aspergillus
pistachio shell on the aflatoxin fungus in
cracking toxin, Journal of pistachio
percentage, Horticultural orchards in
Journal of Science. Kerman
Horticultural
province.
Science 7. Basirat,M; 2003.
Selected
4. Crane ,J.C. Preventing effect
Proceedings
1978. Quality of Vapor Guard in
of the first
of pistachio pistachio nuts
academic -
nuts as cracking . The
applied
affected by work progress
conference of
time of report from 1379
Sirjan
harvest. and 1380
Pistachio.
J.Amer.Soc.H
Page 68..
ort.Sci.103 8:M.Moradi,. 2003.
1381.
(3):332-333. Study of
 Ferti er's 1982.Stu reduction of
lizer thesis, dies aflatoxin and
s Departm related cracking of
Role ent of to the pistachio nut’s
in Plant descripti green shell
plan Protectio on and and fungus
t n of evaluatio penetration
and Agricult n of into dried
ani ure pistachio fruits. MS
mal Faculty, nut Thesis
pop Tarbiat quality. Department of
ulati Modarre J.Amer.S Horticulture
on s oc.Hort.S section,
dens Universi ci.107:81 Agricultural
ity ty, page 2-816. faculty of
140. Shiraz
11. 14.Yazdanpa University.
12.
Moh nah ،H;
Rafizade
am Mycotoxi
h,
mad ne
M;2000.
i contamin
Determi
Mog ation of
nation of
hadd food and
the best
am, Feedstuff
harvest
M; s in
time of
200 Iran.jorn
pistachio
0, al Of
nuts to
eval pharama
optimize
uati ceutcal
product
on Kesearc
quality.
of h(2001)1
final
sens 7:21-30
itivit report

y of of
15. Z.
pista Pistachio
PakKish,
chio Research
2003.
s to Institute.
Effects
fung 27 page.
of
us 13.Kader ,
gibberelli
Asp A.A ;
c acid
ergi C.M.Hei
and
llus ntz:J.I.L
Benzylad
flav abavitch
enine
us, and
spray on
mast H.I.Rae.
the