NIRS technology using the latest-generation, hand-held compact
MEMS instrument proved suitable for assessing a large number
of internal and external quality parameters in intact mandarins
during on-tree ripening, allowing ripeness to be evaluated not only
in terms of visual appearance but also in terms of taste and texture.
This could lead to major changes in harvesting techniques for citrus,
by providing farmers with a precise and accurate indication
of the fruit’s internal and external quality, thus enabling selective
harvesting. It must be highlighted that the results obtained here
using a portable sensor of new generation should be considered
the first step in the tuning of NIRS for in situ monitoring of ripening
in mandarins, a complex fruit with thick peel. Over the coming
years, recalibrations may be required in order to enhance the
robustness of the models obtained; there is also a need for databases
whose structure and distribution fully represent the spectral
variability likely to appear during on-tree analysis.