FRUIT DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES EFFECTS ON BIOCHEMICAL ATTRIBUTES IN DATE PALM

Some date palm cultivars grown in Pakistan were biochemically characterized and the effect of fruit maturity on radical scavenging capacity (DPPH), total phenolic contents (TPC), specific activity of antioxidant enzymes, sugars profile and soluble protein contents was assessed. Higher range of differences in composition of studied phytochemicals was recorded among different cultivars. Antiradical efficiency (AE), TPC, antioxidant enzymes and soluble protein contents were recorded higher at khalal stage thereafter, declined at rutab then finally at tamar stage. The amount of glucose (11.32-32.50%) and fructose (10.95-32.41%) started accumulation from khalal stage and were in higher composition at tamar stage due to hydrolysis and inversion of sucrose (10.82-3.1%) contents. The results concluded that variation in biochemical attributes primarily influenced by type of cultivars and different fruit developmental stages.