Models for Seasonal Changes in °brix and Ratio of Citrus Fruit Juice

Seasonal changes in °Brix and °Brix/% acid ratio of Florida early season oranges and California 'Washington Navel' oranges were fitted by linear models. The constant term varied with different climatic conditions. The rate of Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. N-00240. Froc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 103: 1990. change was 0.0256 °Brix/day and 0.0735 ratio/day for Florida early season oranges and 0.0579 ratio/day for California "Washington Navel" oranges, respectively. An application of the models for early prediction of changes in °Brix and °Brix/% acid ratio throughout the harvesting period was developed. Producing high quality products is a common goal of both citrus growers and processors. High quality processed citrus juices must come from high quality fruit. Tradition ally, producing high quality fruit is a responsibility of growers. Fruit quality varies with varieties and stages of maturity as well as other factors throughout the season. The processors receive whatever fruit is available as it ma tures throughout the season and process this into juice