Volatile composition and sensory and quality attributes of quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) fruits as affected by water stress

No information exists on the effect of water deficit on quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) fruit quality characteristics. In this paper, the effect of withholding irrigation water in the middle of the rapid fruit growth period on yield, main fruit physicochemical characteristics, sensory profile, and volatile composition of quince (cv. BA-29) was studied. The linear fruit growth phase was seen to be a critical phenological period for the marketable yield of quince because water deficit decreased the fruit weight, size, and moisture content. Also, this period was clearly critical for the fruit's chemical characteristics. Water deficit induced important changes in an important number of the identified volatile compounds, characterized by decreases on pear, pineapple and apple sensory descriptors and increases on the green-herbaceous sensory descriptors. Moreover, total soluble solids increased and the total polyphenols content and antioxidant activity decreased as a result of water deficit effect, even though the still high levels of total polyphenols, regardless of the fruit water status, suggested that quinces can be used as an important source of natural antioxidants. The fruit sensory analysis indicated that the peel colour intensity of fruits from the water deficit treatment increased and fruit flesh texture improved. Indeed, the main handicaps for its consumption as fresh fruit (corkiness and fibreness) severely decreased and crunchiness increased.