This study aimed to characterize fruits of guava and to select cultivars produced in the Submédio São Francisco Region. The fruits were produced in the Bebedouro Experimental Station, Embrapa Semi-Árido. They were harvested in the physiological maturity. The experimental design was a completely randomized design with four replications. The treatments were white pulp genotypes (Alabama Safed, Lucknow 49, Banahas, White Selection of Florida and Seleção IPA B 38.1) and red pulp genotypes (Paluma, Patillo 2.1, Surubim, Red Selection of Florida and Seleção IPA B 14.3). They evaluated: weight, longitudinal diameter (DL), transverse diameter (DT), DL/DT ratio, peel and pulp thickness, total soluble solids (TSS), total titrable acidity (TTA), TSS/TTA ratio, pH, total soluble sugars (TSA) and vitamin C. White pulp genotypes had the highest weights (over 145.0 g), except the Seleção IPA B 38.1. The lower DL/DT ratios were observed in Banahas (0.98) and Lucknow 49 (1.00), characterizing round fruits. Also, these cultivars had the largest thickness of the pulp. The highest values of TSS were observed in Paluma (10.4 ºBrix) and Lucknow 49 (10.9 ºBrix). ATT was low in most of the genotypes, except in Surubim and Seleção IPA B 14.3, and the pH values varied from 3.72 to 4.22. Most of white pulp genotypes had high AST content (5 at 7 %) and high vitamin C content (up to 200 mg of acid ascorbic/100 g).
physico-chemical characteristics; table guava; industry guava; quality
