Quality assessment of pistachio fruit cultivated under shade netting structures

Using shade nettings reduce the damage to the pistachio. The purpose of this study was to compare the quality of pistachios produced under a shade netting system and sunlight. The quality of dried kernels after 0, 3, and 6 months of storage (20 ± 2 °C) in terms of compounds (carbohydrate, fat, protein, and total chlorophyll content), antioxidant capacity, hardness, color, and sensory evaluation were examined. Carbohydrate content in pistachios under the shade netting was lower than in pistachios without the shade netting. The fat content at zero and after 6 months of storage (55%) showed a significant increase. There was no considerable difference in protein content in pistachios with and without shade nettings. There was a significant difference between the chlorophyll content at zero (72.0 μmol g^-1) and 6 months of storage (47.1 μmol g^-1). The antioxidant capacity of pistachios was more preserved in shade netting treatments than in the control treatments. The kernel color in treatments with a shade netting was greener (less a index) than in treatments without a shade netting. The taste of pistachios under the sun was better than that under the shade netting. Overall, using shade nettings created higher quality for pistachio kernels.