Grade 10

TLE-AGRI-FISHERY ARTS

HORTICULTURE:
HARVESTING CROPS BASED
ON MATURITY INDICES
QUARTER 4 – MODULE 5
WEEK 6
MELC/ LO5.2 Determine when to harvest based on maturity indices

Prepared by:
MYRNA O. TORRALBA
Master Teacher II
Don Ramon E. Costales Memorial NHS

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What This Module is About
Good day learners! Welcome to this module in Agri- Fishery Arts –Horticulture
Course ( AFA – Horticulture). In this module you will learn skills on how to grow seedlings for
your vegetable garden.
At the end of this module you will be able to apply the knowledge and skills on
growing seedlings. This is the basic skill in horticulture and essential to have a successful
vegetable production.

The following are some reminders in using this module:

1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part of the module.
Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises.
2. Read the instruction carefully before doing each task.
3. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking your answers.
4. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
5. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are through with it.
If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do not hesitate to
consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind that you are not alone.

We hope that through this material, you will experience meaningful learning and gain
deep understanding of the relevant competencies. You can do it!

Lesson HARVESTING CROPS

5 BASED
ON MATURITY INDICES
Growing vegetables is not an easy task. You need to have knowledge on the
different factors affecting the harvesting of plants based on maturity indices.
In this lesson we will learn about the harvesting time, methods of maturity indices and
factors to consider in determining matured vegetable crops.

What I Need to Know

At the end of the lesson, the learners are expected to:

LO5.2 Determine when to harvest based on maturity indices

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 What’s In

The principles dictating at which stage of maturity a fruit or vegetable should be

harvested are crucial to its subsequent storage and marketable life and quality. Post-harvest
physiologists distinguish three stages in the life span of fruits and vegetables: maturation,
ripening, and senescence.

What’s New

Maturation is indicative of the fruit being ready for harvest. At this point, the edible
part of the fruit or vegetable is fully developed in size, although it may not be ready for
immediate consumption. Ripening follows or overlaps maturation, rendering the produce
edible, as indicated by taste. Senescence is the last stage, characterized by natural
degradation of the fruit or vegetable, as in loss of texture, flavour, etc. (senescence ends at
the death of the tissue of the fruit). Some typical maturity indexes are described in following
sections.activity of the growing season.

What is It

Maturity Indices

Maturity is derived from a Latin word “maturus” which means ripening. It is that stage
of fruit development, which ensures attainment of maximum edible quality at the completion
of ripening process.
Maturity indices are also referred as “maturity standards”. Signs can help in
determining maturity of vegetables crops. Knowledge in maturity indices is vital because the
market value depends upon the quality of the produce. It is necessary to harvest vegetables
at proper stage of maturity to facilitate proper ripening, distant transportation and maximum
storage life.
According to Anonymous (2007), maturity is the stage at which a crop is harvestable.
Maturity index is an observable indication or sign that a particular crop is ready for harvest in
terms of size, color, weight, texture, and shape in some vegetable crops.

Importance of maturity indices:

• Ensure sensory quality (flavor, color, aroma, texture) and nutritional quality
• Ensure an adequate postharvest shelf life
• Facilitate scheduling of harvest and packing operations
• Facilitate marketing

Types of Maturity

1. Physiological Maturity. The stage in the growth and development of a crop that marks
the beginning of aging of the tissue. It is generally referred to as ripening.

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2. Commercial Maturity. The stage in the development of a crop in relation to time of
harvest according to use or market demand. For example, most often, potatoes are
harvested even if the particular variety planted did not reach its expected age of maturity
when the demand is high. In the case of beans, the pods can be harvested as young pods or
dried bean seeds.

In beans and peas, there are three stages of maturity as follows:

1. Tender pods – when the product desired is the tender pods (e.g. pole and bush sitao,
snap beans)

2. Tender seed stage –when the product desired is the tender seeds (e.g. lima beans,
cadios)

3. Ripened seed stage –when the product desired is the ripened

seeds which are mainly used as seeds (e.g. mungbean, cowpea).

Maturity Determination

1. Visual Methods
Skin Color. This factor is commonly applied to fruits, since skin color changes as it
ripens or matures.
Size. The shape of the fruit can change during maturation and can be used as a
characteristic to determine harvest maturity.
Fruit size. Some vegetables will reach a certain size, which can be used as index for
optimum time of harvest. The presence of abscission zones between
the stem and the stem end in some fruits such as tomato, peas and
beans have been observed to become prominent at maturity.
2. Feel Method
This method is done mainly by touch of the fingers with respect to firmness,
crispiness and sound. For example, in bottle gourd, tomatoes, beans and peas, the matured
fruits will easily give way when a slight pressure is applied to detach the fruits with the
fingers.

3. Chemical Analysis
In this method, the acidity, starch and sugar content are measured. High sugar
content indicates maturity. Acid content in some fruits falls with maturity, thus, low acid
content indicates maturity.

4. Physical Means
Use of pressure tester – use to measure the softness of a fruit.
Specific Gravity - in practice, the fruit or vegetable is weighed in air divided by the
weight in water gives the specific gravity. As a fruit matures its specific gravity increases.
This parameter is rarely used to determine time of harvest, but could be used in cases where
development of a suitable sampling technique is possible.

5. Computation Method
Days from flowering to harvesting
Days from planting to harvesting

Maturity Indices of Vegetable Crops

Maturity is the attainment of the particular size or stage after which ripening takes
place. The quality of the produce cannot be improved but it can be presented when
harvesting is done at proper stage of maturity.

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Maturity indices of some vegetable crops

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 What I Have Learned

Directions. Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if the statement is wrong.

______1. Maturation is indicative of the fruit being ready for harvest.

______2. Maturity Index does not ensure sensory quality and nutritional quality
______3. Maturity Index ensure inadequate postharvest shelf life
______4. Maturity Index facilitates scheduling of harvest and packing operations
______5. Maturity Index does not facilitate marketing.
______6. Maturity is the attainment of the particular size after which ripening takes place.
______7. The quality of the produce can be improved and cannot be presented when
harvesting is done at proper stage of maturity.
______8. The stage in the development of a crop in relation to time of harvest according to
use or market demand is physiological maturity.
______9. The stage in the growth and development of a crop that marks the beginning of
aging of the tissue is physiological maturity.
______10. Ripening follows or overlaps maturation, rendering the produce edible, as
indicated by smell.

Summative Assessment

I. Directions. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write your answer on a separate sheet
of paper.

1. An indication of the fruit being ready for harvest.

a. Maturity b. Moisture c. Taste d. none of these
2. The last stage, characterized by natural degradation of the fruit or vegetable.
a. Seeding b. Lightening c. Senescence d. none of these
3. Maturity is derived from the latin word ____________.
a. maturis b. maturus c. matures d. none of these
4. The answer in item 3 means _____________.
a. seeding b. darkening c. lightening d. none of these
5. An observable indication or sign that a particular crop is ready for harvest in terms of size,
color, weight, texture, and shape in some vegetable crops.
a. maturity index b. maturity mode c. senescence d. none of these
6. It is generally referred to as ripening.
a. Physiological b. Commercial c. Traditional d. none of these
7. This factor is commonly applied to fruit since it changes as it ripens or matures.
a. Size b. Smell c. Skin Color d. none of these
8. Use to measure the softness of a fruit.
a. Gravity tester b. Pen Rack c. Pressure Tester d. none of these
9. This parameter is rarely used to determine time of harvest.
a. Specific Mode b. Pen Tester c. Pressure Manager d. none of these
10. When the product desired is the tender pods.
a. Seed Stage b. Tender Pods Stage c. Ripening Stage d. none of
these

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II. Directions. Write TRUE if the underlined word makes the statement correct and if not,
Write the right term that makes it accurate.

______1. Maturation is indicative of the fruit being ready for harvest.

______2. Maturity Index does not ensure sensory quality and nutritional quality
______3. Maturity Index ensure inadequate postharvest shelf life
______4. Maturity Index facilitates scheduling of harvest and packing operations
______5. Maturity Index does not facilitate marketing.

III. Directions. Make a tabular list of at least 5 commonly planted vegetables in your
locality or nearby areas and identify their signs of maturity when they are ready for harvest.
Place your answer in a separate sheet.

NAME OF PLANT SIGNS OF MATURITY

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Answer Key
What I have Learned
1. TRUE
2. FALSE
3. FALSE
4. TRUE
5. FALSE
6. TRUE
7. FALSE
8. FALSE
9. TRUE
10. FALSE

References:

1. CHAPTER 2. BASIC HARVEST AND POST-HARVEST HANDLING CONSIDERATIONS

FOR FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. (n.d.). Maturity of Plants.
http://www.fao.org/3/y4358e/y4358e05.htm

2. Anon. 2007. Training Manual in Horticulture NC II. Maddela Institute of Technology.

Maddela, Quirino, Philippines.

3. CBLM of Tech-Voc Schools. Practice proper Ways of Harvesting. In: Produce Vegetable
Crops.

4. Dhatt, A.S. and Mahajan, B.V.C. 2007. Harvesting, Handling and Storage of Horticultural
Crops. Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India.

School Self-Learning Module Development Committee:

Chairman: Dr. Rowena Lea G. Moreno (School Principal IV)
Co-Chairman: Dr. Maribeth S. Tugare (Head Teacher III, TLE Dept.)
Content Researcher: Mrs. Myrna O. Torralba (Master Teacher II)
Language Validator: Mr. Ulysses M. Bañaga (Teacher III)
ICT Validator: Mr. Jeffrey O. Torralba (Teacher III)