Harvesting period of Murici (Byrsonima crassifolia Kunth) fruit in relation to physical and chemical parameters evaluated during fruit development

•Important native fruit of the Amazon region with functional potential and antioxidant activity.•The specie is still minimally explored for commercial agricultural activity.•Harvest point through physical, chemical, physicochemical and functional parameters.•Bio compounds indicated the highest levels in the mature-green fruits.•Thus, the harvesting period of murici, under the tested conditions, must be conducted between 28 and 35 DAA.

The fruits were harvested for six consecutive years during the rainy season from a population native to a savannah environment, and they were analyzed at intervals of seven days after anthesis (DAA). Chemical analyses were conducted (pH, total acidity, soluble solids, total and reducing sugars, total and soluble pectin, polygalacturonase enzyme (PG) and pectin methyl esterase (PE) enzymes, phenolic compounds, vitamin C and antioxidant activity by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and α, α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) methods), respiratory activity was determined, and physical evaluations were performed (diameter and fruit and pulp fresh weight). The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design (CRD) with a regression analysis and model fitting using the statistical F-test at a 5% significance level. The results showed climacteric behavior of the fruit as well as significant antioxidant activity related to the presence of phenolic compounds and vitamin C. The harvesting time, according to the evaluated parameters, was determined to be the interval between 28 and 35 DAA.