Postharvest mechanical drenching and disease control of mango.
Jarimopas B., Therdwongworakul A.
Author Affiliation: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University, Kamphaengsaen Campus, Nakhon Pathom, 73140, Thailand.
Kasetsart Journal, Natural Sciences 28 : 616-625
Abstract : Mechanical drenching comprises washing and disease control (DC) machines. The washing machine consists of a rolling conveyor and washing room equipped with sprayers and brushes. The DC machine is a 360-litre steel bin with rotating plates to submerge mangoes in a 500 ppm solution of Benlate [benomyl] for 5 min at 55°C. Washing machine testing, evaluating cleanliness with respect to general dirt and mango gum, showed that the machine could wash out dirt as well as hand washing, regardless of variation in washing rate, time and quantity of gum on mango fruits. At a feed rate of 332 kg/h, the washing machine could clean off gum as well as hand washing could, irrespective of changes in gum quantity and washing time. Testing of the DC machine showed that machine performance under these conditions was good (5.6% had diseases compared with 18.8% of control mangoes). Mechanical damage to mangoes due to the washing machine only and the combination of washing and DC machines were 0.6% and 1.5% respectively. Only 0.4% of control mangoes were damaged.