Abstract
Differences in mineral components at various portions of apple fruits were investigated with cv. Fuji grown at Morioka Branch, Fruit Tree Research Station in 1979. Nine minerals viz. sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, manganese, copper, zinc and phosphorus were determined. The fruits which were used for the experiment in mineral content in different portions were collected from a single tree. The red (sunny side) and green (shaded side) fruits were collected from 3 trees grown on same condition. The concentration of ash, sodium, potassium, calcium, iron, copper and zinc increased gradually from outside (peel) to inside (center) in a fruit, whereas the concentration of minerals in ash unchanged. On the other hand concentration of magnesium and its content in ash gradually decreased from outside to inside. Concentration of ash and potassium, calcium and zinc gradually increased from lower (stalk end) to upper (blossom end) portion. Conversely Brix degree, magnesium content in ash decreased gradually from lower to upper portions of a fruit. There was no change in concentration of manganese in portions of a fruit. There were no significant difference in the concentration of 9 minerals components expressed either in mineral/weight ratio or in mineral/ ash ratio, both in red and green side of a fruit. However the concentration of individual mineral components differed on portions of a fruit. A definite pattern in the distribution of different minerals composition was observed in fruit-stalk, calyx, core, and peel portions of a fruit.
