LAUSR

Abstract Sunburn damage due to excessive solar radiation is one of the major problems affecting the avocado fruit production. Shade netting has been introduced so that growers can cover their orchards with the nets to protect their trees/fruit. However, little is known on the effect of different coloured shade netting on avocado fruit quality. Thus, the influence of blue, red and white photo selective netting on marketable yield, physicochemical characteristics and incidence of anthracnose in ‘Hass’ avocado fruit was investigated. Blue and white netting improved the marketable yield, and accelerated fruit ripening after 28 d cold storage at 5.5 °C followed by 5 d at shelf-life conditions. Ripening, as indicated by fruit softening, correlated well with the content of d -mannoheptulose. The concentration of α–tocopherol, oleic acid and phenolic acids was also affected by growing conditions, due to different coloured shade netting being used. However, incidence of anthracnose was reduced on the 5th d at shelf-life conditions due to delayed ripening, higher phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity, and epicatechin content in the pericarp. White and blue netting appear to be a suitable pre-harvest tool to improve the marketable yield.