Transportability refers to the ability of fruits and vegetables to withstand loading, transportation, and unloading without losing market quality, such as appearance and tissue integrity. In practice, this trait determines the shelf life of produce, allowing it to remain fresh longer during extended logistics without the need for specialized refrigeration equipment.
This trait depends on a complex of structural-mechanical and physiological variety characteristics, including flesh firmness, skin thickness, respiration rate, and the chemical composition of the fruit, in particular the content of pectic substances, calcium, and sugars. High transportability is characterized by a small-cell structure of the flesh and a reduced rate of physiological aging processes.
The assessment of transportability during variety trials is conducted through expert evaluation or instrumental methods, such as the use of penetrometers to measure skin and flesh firmness. Varieties are compared against reference standards based on indices of mechanical damage, decay development, and weight loss after simulated transport conditions.
The final level of a variety's transportability depends not only on its genetic potential but also on growing conditions, including agronomic practices, irrigation regimes, and the maturity stage at the time of harvest. Deviations in production technology, such as excessive nitrogen fertilization or improper irrigation, can significantly reduce this indicator even in a promising variety.