LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET
Quarter 4 -Week 1- LAS 1
Name: _______________________ Grade and Section: _________________ Score: ________
Teacher: _____________________ Learning Area: _____________________ Date: ________
Title : Maturity and Maturity Indices
: Not Available/ CG ACP TLE_AFAACP9-12CHPO-IIa-i-30
Melc with Code Identify crop maturity according to parameters affecting
physiological growth and physical indicators
References for the Learners : Competency Based Learning Material from TESDA (pg. 1-7)
Background Information for Learners
Maturity refers to that stage at which a commodity has reached a sufficient stage of development
where after harvest and postharvest handling, its quality will be at least at its minimum acceptable level
when it reached the ultimate consumer while when the crop to be harvested is said to be mature, it
means that it is full grown, ripe, and projected to reach full development.
Before a crop can be harvested, it must be determined whether the crop has reached maturity.
Therefore, maturity indexing is done on a crop using its maturity indices, sign of crops ready for
harvesting. Maturity indexing is the process of monitoring the physiological development of produce
as it ripens. The basic parameters that are assessed and monitored during maturity indexing are
parameters such as internal quality parameters, fruit color, water content, etc. Various industries have
their own specific guidelines and procedures for determining maturity. These are available from
growers’ associations, retailers and exporters and should be available on farm for use by harvest
personnel.
Types of Maturity
There are two types of maturity:
a. commercial maturity or horticultural maturity, it is the stage of development when the plant part
possesses the necessary characteristics preferred by consumers; and,
b. physiological maturity applies to the stage of development when a plant part will continue its
development even if detached, mature fruits. The optimum maturity at harvest is a very important
determinant to the final quality of the product.
Note:
Fruits and vegetables picked too early or too late in season are more susceptible to physiological
disorder and have a shorter storage-life than those picked at the proper maturity. Fruits picked immature
may not fully ripen
Types of Maturity Indices
A. Subjective Type – this uses the senses; it could be visual or physical means.
2. Physical means – uses feel, force, sound and smell to determine maturity.
Examples are firmness, ease of separation, ease of being snapped or broken, compactness, exudation
of milk when pierced, sound when tapped
and odor.
B. Objective Type – this is the measurable indices but more difficult to determine such
indices and more time-consuming since measurements have to be made.
Considerations in Identifying Maturity Indices
a. Maturity of fruits and vegetables depends upon the purpose for which it is harvested.
b. It is a stage between development and growth of any plant part.
c. It can be predicted by using different terminology like premature, mature and over mature.
d. There is no necessity of senescence.
e. In fruits, there is climacteric fruits (example: banana, mango, papaya, muskmelon, tomato,
watermelon) and non-climacteric fruits (cashew, cucumber, lemon, grapes, pepper).
Maturity Indices for Selected Crops
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Activities:
Learning Activity #1
Instruction: Distinguish the difference between commercial maturity and
physiological maturity. Cites some examples.
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Activity 2: Identify Maturity Indices for a Range of Crops
Crop’s Name Maturity Indices
Subjective Objective
e.g., banana Minimum angles in the fruit, Skin 13 weeks from shooting
color, drying of leaves of the plant
1. cabbage
2. Eggplant
3. Ladies finger
4. Dishrag gourd
[Link]
6. coffee
7. cacao
8. rambutan
9. tomato
10. sweet corn
Reflection:
1. Why harvest vegetable /fruit crops at proper maturity?
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Prepared by: Maria Lourdes D. Oracion
