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TLE - AFA-ACP
Quarter 4 - Module 1
Identifying Crop Maturity
Indices
TLE - AFA - ACP - 10
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 4 - Module 1: Identifying Crop Maturity Indices

First Edition, 2021

Introductory Message

This Self-Learning Module (SLM) is prepared so that you, our dear learners, can continue
your studies and learn while at home. Activities, questions, directions, exercises, and
discussion are carefully stated for you to understand each lesson.

Each SLM is composed of different parts. Each part shall guide you step-by-step as you
discover and understand the lesson prepared for you.

Pre-tests are provided to measure your prior knowledge on lessons in each SLM. This will
tell you if you need to proceed on completing this module or if you need to ask your
facilitator or your teacher’s assistance for better understanding of the lesson. At the end of
each module, you need to answer the post-test to self-check your learning. Answer keys are
provided for each activity and test. We trust that you will be honest in using these.

Please use this module with care. Do not put unnecessary marks on any part of this SLM.
Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises and test. Read the instructions
carefully before performing each task.

If you have any questions in using this SLM or any difficulty in answering the tasks in this
module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator.

Thank you.

Published by the Department of Education, SDO AURORA

Schools Division Superintendent: Catalina P. PaezPhD,CESO V
Assistant Schools Division Superintendent: Danilo M. Jacoba

Development Team of the Module

Writer: Jonafher P. Pacuribot

Editor: Ma. Roselle S. Fajanilbo
Reviewer: Cherrybel P. Gaspar
Illustrators: Wenelyn P. Bautista
Lomel L. Alvarado
Erbert B. Villareal
Layout Artist: Erbert B. Villareal
Management Team: Erleo T. Villaros PhD
Esmeralda S. Escobar PhD
Estrella D. Neri
Milagros F. Bautista PhD
Printed in the Philippines by Department of Education – Region III –
Schools Division of Aurora
Office Address: Sitio, Hiwalayan, Brgy. Bacong San Luis Aurora
Telefax:
E-mail Address: aurora@deped.gov.ph
 What I Need to Know
This module was designed and written for the learners to help them Perform
Preharvest Operations. After going through this module, the learner is expected to:
1. identify crop maturity according to parameters affecting physiological
growth and physical indicators;
2. verify records of maturity of agricultural/agronomic crop maturity; and
3. perform removal of obstructions from the field for efficient harvesting.
TLE_AFAACP9-12CHPO-IIA-i-30

What I Know

Directions: Read the following test items below. Choose the letter of the correct
answer. Write your answer on your activity notebook.
1. It refers to the harvesting of fruits beyond the right time of harvest.
A. delayed harvesting
B. maturity
C. premature harvesting
D. post harvesting
2. A fruit is ready to be harvested when ________.
A. it begins to fall on the ground
B. it is fully ripe
C. it shows maturity signs
D. the color of its skin is attractive
3. The following are the benefits of harvesting at the right stage of maturity
EXCEPT ________.
A. benefit the grower and consumer
B. ensure good quality of harvest
C. increase marketability of fruits
D. decrease the quality of harvest
4. Which of the following is NOT an index of maturity of fruits?
A. age of the fruit
B. color of the skin
C. cracking of the skin
D. appearance of the fruit
5. Mango fruits mature in ________ from flowering.
A. 80 to 100 days
B. 90 to 100 days
C. 90 to 120 days
D. 130 to 140 days

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Lesson Identifying Crop
1 Maturity Indices
This module will help you to acquire about the knowledge, skills and attitude
in performing preharvest operations. In this module, you will also identify crop
maturity according to parameters affecting physiological growth and physical
indicators and verify records of maturity of agricultural /agronomic crop history and
perform removal of obstruction from the field for efficient harvesting.

What’s In

In our previous lesson, you have learned how to perform rejuvenating

activities according to establish cultural practices, growth training technique for
different crops, apply mulching techniques based on crops and follow safety
procedures according to OSHS.

Directions: Identify what mulch material is used by the farmer as shown below.
Write your answer on your activity notebook.

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 What’s New

Mang Jaime heard that there is an increase on the price of coconut.

Immediately, he went to his coconut farm. What do you think will be the bases of
Mang Jaime to decide if the coconuts are ready for harvesting. Write your answer on
your activity notebook.

What Is It
IDENTIFY MATURITY INDICES
Maturity - the stage of fruit development when fruits are ready
to be harvested.
-is the stage at which a crop is harvestable
Maturity indexing –the process of monitoring the physiological
development of fruit as it ripens.
Delayed harvesting – harvesting of fruits beyond the right time.
Horticultural maturity - it is a developmental stage of the fruit on the tree,
which will result in a satisfactory product after

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 harvest.
Physiological maturity - it refers to the stage in the development of the fruits
and vegetables when maximum growth and
maturation has occurred. It is usually associated
with full ripening in the fruits. The physiological
mature stage is followed by senescence.
Commercial maturity - it is the state of plant organ required by a market. It
commonly bears little relation to Physiological
maturity and may occur at any stage during
development stage.
Harvest Maturity -it may be defined in terms of physiological maturity
and horticultural maturity, it is a stage, which will
allow fruits/vegetables at its peak condition when it
reaches to the consumers and develop acceptable
flavor or appearance and having adequate shelf life.

Harvesting at the right stage of physiological maturity of crops will

ensure the quality of the harvest. Some fruits found in commercial stalls are
sour. They lack the desired quality because they were harvested at immature
stage and were forced to ripen. On the other hand, delayed harvesting of the
fruits affects the quality and shortens shelf-life in the market. It is important,
therefore, that the maturity indices of crops be the guide of the grower to
maintain the freshness of crops.

The maturity indices of vegetable crops will be easily identified based on

the following:
1. Color
2. Weight
3. Shape
4. Size
5. Texture
6. composition

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Methods of Determining Maturity Indices of fruits
1. Visualize characteristics of mature fruits such as shape and the presence
of bloom.
2. Examine pulp color of representative sample of fruits.
3. Use the floating method.

Maturity indices of some vegetable crops

Root, bulb Maturity indices
and tuber
crops
Radish and Large enough and crispy
carrot

Potato, onion Tops beginning to dry and

and garlic topple

Yams, bean Large enough

and ginger

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Fruit Maturity indices
Vegetables
Cowpea, snap Well-filled pods that snap
bean, sweet readily
pea, winged
bean

Lima bean Well-filled pods that are

and pigeon beginning to lose their
pea greenness.

Okra Desirable size reached

and the tips of which can
be snapped readily

Snake gourd Desirable size reached

and thumbnail can still
penetrate flesh readily

Eggplant, Desirable size reached but

bitter gourd, still tender
slicing
cucumber

Tomato Seeds slipping when fruit

is cut, or green colour
turning pink

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Flower Maturity indices
Vegetables
Cauliflower Curd compact

Broccoli Bud cluster compact

Fruit Time from Color Sound when Appearance

Flowering Thumped
to Maturity with a
Finger
Mango 120 days green to powdery hollow plump and shiny
green sound

Banana 90-120 green to yellow

days green
Chico 120 days light to dark brown loosening of the
latex

Duhat 60 days green to dark spines set far

purple or black apart

Durian 120 days spines set far

apart

Guyabano dark and shiny

green

Pomelo green to yellow

green

Papaya yellow orange in

the apex

Rambutan reddish or yellow

Santol 120 days green to yellow

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 Musk Easily separated
melon from vine with a
slight twist
leaving clean
cavity (full slip
stage).
watermelon 35-45 days white to light dull, hollow/ withering of
muffled tendril on stem
sound

DIFFERENT FRUITS

MANGO BANANA CHICO DUHAT DURIAN

GUYABANO POMELO PAPAYA RAMBUTAN

SANTOL MUSK MELON WATERMELON

Removal of obstructions in the Field for Efficient Harvesting

Health and safety precautions during harvesting

It is very important to remove any obstructions in the field to ensure efficient

harvesting. See if there are obstructions in the field that may delay harvesting. If ever
there are obstructions remove them to facilitate harvesting and also minimize
possible damages to the harvest.

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Operators of farm machinery can increase safety and avoid accidents by following
these guidelines when using agricultural equipment:

• Provide safety training before harvesting to create awareness for safety risks.
Entanglement and caught and crush type of accidents are the most common
types with harvesting equipment.
• During harvesting, ensure that the operators should wear tight clothing and
secure their hair to avoid entanglement. Agree clear entanglement and
emergency procedures.
• Never clean, maintain, adjust or clear jams when the machine is on.
• Stay clear of discharges, outlets, and all moving parts of the machine.
• Make sure all guards like belt guards, pulley guards etc. are in place.
• Always read the operators manual of your machine and make yourself familiar
with the safety risks.
• If equipment breaks down make sure that it is properly repaired before it is used
again. Improvisation is dangerous and might lead to failure of parts.

What’s More
A. Directions: Arrange the scrambled letters to form the answer described below.
Write your answer on your activity notebook.
YGSIOLOPHICAL IYTTAMUR 1. It is usually associated with full ripening in the
fruits.
TYTURMAI XINGNIDE 2. The process of monitoring the physiological
development of fruit as it ripens.
MMERLIACOC TUYRIMAT 3. It is the state of plant organ required by a
market.
MAITYTUR 4. The stage at which a crop is harvestable.
YEDALED ESTNIGVERAH 5. Harvesting of fruits beyond the right time.

B. Directions: Identify the maturity indices of the following. Write your answer on
your activity notebook.
1. Tomato- _________________________________
2. Onion- __________________________________
3. Eggplant -_______________________________
4. Guyabano - _____________________________
5. Banana - _______________________________

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C. Directions: Write O if the statement is correct and write X if it is incorrect.
Write your answer on your activity notebook.
1. Clean, maintain, adjust or clear jams when the machine is on.
2. Provide safety training before harvesting to create awareness for safety risks.
3. Always read the operators manual of your machine and make yourself
familiar with the safety risks.
4. Removal of any obstruction from the field helps for efficient harvesting.
5. If equipment breaks down make sure that it is not properly repaired before it
is used again.

What I Have Learned

Directions: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word/s to complete the
sentences that summarize our topic for today. Write your answer on your activity
notebook.

Harvesting at the right stage of physiological maturity of crops will ensure the
(1)
____________________.It (2)
is important, therefore, that the ____________________ of crops
) (3) )
be the guide of the grower to maintain the____________________.
)

What I Can Do

Directions: Interview one the farmers in your family, if none of them is a farmer, then
ask your eldest member in your family to accompany you to the nearest farmer in
your neighborhood. Below is your guide in your interview.

Name of farmer: ____________________________________

Date of interview: ___________________________________
Crop/s planted/harvested: _________________________
Maturity indices to consider before harvesting
Use the maturity indices applicable to the farmer’s crop.
color: ___________________
weight: _________________
shape: __________________
size: (put check) small ___ medium ___ large ___
texture: ________________

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 Assessment
Directions: Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write the letter of your
answer on your activity notebook.
1. How will you determine if a watermelon is ready to be harvested?
A. withering of tendril on stem C. 35-45 days
B. dull, hollow/muffled sound D. All of these

2. What must be the appearance of mango when matured already?

A. spines set far apart C. withering of tendril on stem
B. dark and shiny green D. plump and shiny

3. Which fruit vegetable has the maturity index of desirable size reached and the
tips of which can be snapped readily?
A. okra C. eggplant
B. tomato D. snake gourd

4. The maturity indices of vegetable crops will be easily identified based on the
following EXCEPT:
A. color and shape C. color, price and variety
B. size and weight D. composition and texture

5. Which method is NOT used in determining maturity indices of fruits?

A. use hand lens
B. use the floating method
C. examine pulp color of representative sample of fruits
D. visualize characteristics of mature fruits such as shape and the presence

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Answer Key

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References
Competency Based Learning Material in Horticulture NC II Fourth Year. Philippines:
Department of Education, n.d.

Department of Education..K-12 Curriculum Guide. AFA Agricultural Crop

Production NC II-Grade 10. Updated 2016 Pasig City, Philippines:
Department of Education.

Fabicon, James F. etal: Modern Way of Fruit Growing n.d.

Lantican, Ricardo M.: Science of Crop Production n.d.

Obispo,KarlLoiuse.2016.Lecture 3: “Fruits and Vegetables Harvesting”.

https://www.slideshare.net/KarlLouisseObispo/lecture-3-fruits-and-
vegetables-harvesting. February 16, 2021

Primary Agriculture Learner Guide Harvesting Agricultural Crop. South Africa:

Department of Agriculture. July 2006, AgriSETA, Republic of Africa

Self Assessment Guide Horticulture NC II Assessment tool

Training Regulations. Agricultural Crop Production NC II. Philippines: Technical

Education Skills and Development Authority, December 2013, Manila

Ware, George W. and J.P. McCollum; Producing Vegetables Crops: Second Ed.,
Interlino Printing Co., Inc.: Quezon City 1977

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