9/11

Agricultural Crop
Production NC I
Quarter 4 – Module 2/Week 3
Water Crops Following the
Prescribed Method and
Schedule
 Agricultural Crop Production NC I 9/11
Quarter 4 – Module 2/Week 3: Harvest Vegetable Crops
First Edition, 2020

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 Harvest Vegetable Crops

Fruitful string beans of Bukig National Agricultural and Technical School (BNATS)

Content Standard Performance Standard

The learner demonstrates The learner independently performs
understanding on harvesting harvesting of vegetable crops based
vegetable crops. on set standards as specified in the
vegetable production manual.
Introduction
The module deals with the knowledge, skills, and attitude in determining
the maturity indices and harvesting vegetable crops.

Lesson 1 Determining Maturity Indices of

Vegetable Crops

Learning Competencies/Objectives:
1. Determine the maturity indices of vegetable crops properly.
2. Explain the importance of maturity indices.
3. Differentiate the types of maturity
4. Identify the methods of determining the maturity indices of vegetable crops.
 Diagnostic/Pre – assessment

I. Multiple Choice: Directions: Read and understand the items being

described below. Choose the letter of the correct answer and write it in
your quiz notebook.
1. Which of the following is not an index of maturity of vegetable crops?
a. Color
b. Cracking of the skin
c. Size
d. Texture
2. Maturity is derived from a Latin word “matures” which means:
a. Ripen
b. Mature
c. Immature
d. Over mature
3. How will you determine the maturity index of bitter gourd?
a. Physical means
b. Visual method
c. Feel method
d. Calendar method
4. There are types of maturity according to purpose of the produce. Which of the
following best describes the stage in the development of a crop in relation to
time of harvest according to consumer’s demand?
a. Horticultural maturity
b. Physiological maturity
c. Commercial maturity
d. Harvest maturity
5. What is not important in determining the maturity indices of vegetable crops?
a. Ensure an adequate post-harvest shelf life
 b. Facilitate scheduling of harvest and packing operation
c. Facilitate marketing
d. Ensures low sensory quality

II. Complete the table by writing the maturity indices and methods of determining
maturity of the listed crops below.
Vegetable Crops Maturity index Methods of determining maturity
cabbage
Eggplant
Pechay
Ladies finger
Dishrag gourd

Activity 1: KNOW
Do you have vegetable plants in your backyard? Have you tried harvesting
some of their fruits, flowers, or shoots? What were your bases in harvesting them?
Go to your original groupings and pick one topic each to discuss. Be sure to
have at least five ideas to present to the class.
Topic 1 – Why harvest vegetable crops at proper maturity?
Topic 2 – Enumerate the different tools and materials commonly used in harvesting
vegetable crops?
Topic 3 – Discuss the specific maturity index of selected vegetable crops?
Topic 4 – Why practice the principles of Tender Loving Care (TLC) in harvesting and
on harvested vegetable crops?
Reading Resources and Instructional Activities
Maturity Indices
Maturity is derived from a Latin word “maturus” which means ripening. It is that
stage of fruit development, which ensures attainment of maximum edible quality at the
completion of ripening process.
Maturity indices are also referred as “maturity standards”. Signs can help in
determining maturity of vegetables crops. Knowledge in maturity indices is vital
because the market value depends upon the quality of the produce. It is necessary to
harvest vegetables at proper stage of maturity to facilitate proper ripening, distant
transportation and maximum storage life.

According to Anonymous (2007), maturity is the stage at which a crop is

harvestable. Maturity index is an observable indication or sign that a particular crop is
ready for harvest in terms of size, color, weight, texture, and shape in some vegetable
crops.
Importance of maturity indices:
• Ensure sensory quality (flavor, color, aroma, texture) and nutritional quality
• Ensure an adequate postharvest shelf life
• Facilitate scheduling of harvest and packing operations
• Facilitate marketing

Types of Maturity
1. Physiological Maturity. The stage in the
growth and development of a crop that
marks the beginning of aging of the tissue.
It is generally referred to as ripening.

2. Commercial Maturity. The stage in the

development of a crop in relation to time of
harvest according to use or market demand.
For example, most often, potatoes are
harvested even if the particular variety
planted did not reach its expected age of
maturity when the demand is high. In the case of beans, the pods can be
harvested as young pods or dried bean seeds.

In beans and peas, there are three stages of maturity as follows:

1. Tender pods – when the product desired is the tender pods (e.g. pole and
bush sitao, snap beans)
 2. Tender seed stage –when the product desired is the tender seeds (e.g.
lima beans, cadios)
3. Ripened seed stage –when the product desired is the ripened seeds which
are mainly used as seeds (e.g. mungbean, cowpea).

Maturity Determination
1. Visual Methods
Skin Color. This factor
is commonly applied to
fruits, since skin color
changes as it ripens or
matures.
Size. The shape of the
fruit can change during maturation and can be used as a characteristic
to determine harvest maturity.
Fruit size. Some vegetables will reach a certain size, which can be used
as index for optimum time of harvest. The presence of abscission zones
between the stem and the stem end in some fruits such as tomato, peas
and beans have been observed to become prominent at maturity.

2. Feel Method
This method is done mainly by touch of the
fingers with respect to firmness, crispiness and
sound. For example, in bottle gourd, tomatoes,
beans and peas, the matured fruits will easily give
way when a slight pressure is applied to detach the
fruits with the fingers.

3. Chemical Analysis
In this method, the acidity, starch and sugar content are measured.
High sugar content indicates maturity. Acid content in some fruits falls with
maturity, thus, low acid content indicates maturity.

4. Physical Means
 Use of pressure tester – use to measure the softness of a fruit.
Specific Gravity - in practice, the fruit or vegetable is weighed in air
divided by the weight in water gives the specific gravity. As a fruit
matures its specific gravity increases. This parameter is rarely used to
determine time of harvest, but could be used in cases where
development of a suitable sampling technique is possible.

5. Computation Method
Days from flowering to harvesting
Days from planting to harvesting

Maturity Indices of Vegetable Crops

Maturity is the attainment of the particular size or stage after which ripening takes
place. The quality of the produce cannot be improved but it can be presented when
harvesting is done at proper stage of maturity.
Table 12. Maturity indices of some vegetable crops based from Bautista (1977).

Crop Maturity Indices

Okra • Reached desirable size and the tips of which
can be snapped readily.
Tomato • Pulp surrounding the seeds is jelly-like, seeds
slip away from the knife
• For long-distance shipment, it is harvested at
mature green stage
• The ripe stage indicates that most of the
surface is pink or red and firm
Eggplant, Ampalaya, • Immature (over mature if color dulls or changes
Chayote and seeds are tough)
Upo, Patola • Immature (over mature if thumbnail cannot
penetrate flesh readily)
Cowpea, sitao, snap • Well – filled pods that snap readily
bean, batao, sweet
pea, winged bean
Sweet pepper • Deep green color turning dull green or red
Sweet corn • Exudes milky sap when thumbnail penetrate
kernel
 Lettuce,Pechay, • Big enough but before flowering unless flowers
Mustard are desired
Cabbage • Head compact (over mature if head cracks)
Celery • Big enough but before it becomes pithy
Radish, Carrot • Large enough and crispy ( over mature if pithy)
Potato, Onion, Garlic • Tops begin to dry and topple down
Yam bean, Ginger • Large enough ( over mature if tough and
fibrous)
Cauliflower, Brocolli • Curd is compact: absence of florets ( over
mature if florets are opened)

PROCESS
Activity 2
Make a list of vegetables that are present in your garden. Write down the specific
maturity index of each crop.

REFLECT AND UNDERSTAND

Activity 3
Just select one from the activities listed below
1. Write a slogan pertaining to maturity index of specific vegetable crop. Put
your slogan in a short coupon bond. Share your output in the class.
2. Make a poster of an ideal vegetable garden where maturity indices of
selected vegetable crops can be observed. Use one-half of a white
cartolina.

TRANSFER
Activity 4
Proceed to the school vegetable area and determine the specific maturity index of
the vegetables grown in the area. Ask them whether the fruits or the crops are ready
to harvest. List down the crops/vegetables ready for harvesting and opposite each
crop indicate its maturity index. Prepare a table for this activity.

Summative assessment

A. Multiple Choice. Directions: Let us find out how much you already know. Read
and understand the items being described below. Choose the letter of the
correct answer and write it in your quiz notebook.
1. Which of the following is not an index of maturity of vegetable crops?
a. Color
b. Cracking of the skin
c. Size
d. Texture
2. Maturity is derived from a Latin word ‘Maturus’ which means
a. Ripen
b. Mature
c. Immature
d. Over mature
3. How will you determine the maturity index of a bitter gourd?
a. Physical means
b. Visual measure
c. Feel method
d. Calendar method
 4. There are types of maturity according to purpose of the produce. Which of
the following best describes the stage in the development of a crop in
relation to time of harvest according to consumer’s demand?
a. Horticultural maturity
b. Physiological maturity
c. Commercial maturity
d. Harvest maturity
5. What is the importance of determining the maturity indices of vegetable
crops?
a. Ensure an adequate post-harvest shelf life
b. Facilitate scheduling of harvest and packing operation
c. Facilitate marketing
d. Ensures low sensory quality

II. Complete the table by writing the maturity indices and methods of determining
maturity of the listed crops below.
Vegetable Crops Maturity index Methods of determining
maturity
cabbage
Eggplant
Pechay
Ladies finger
Dishrag gourd

Summary/Feedback

Timeliness in harvesting crops is important especially in managing

perishable farm crops. Securing prime quality and avoiding loss demand promptness.
A single day’s delay during hot weather may result in serious deterioration of
vegetables. Delay in harvesting may also lessen the yield of grains and leguminous
crops because it allows greater chances for destruction due to shattering of pods and
rotting of grains brought about by attacks of insect pests, diseases, rain and humans.