Potential for improvement of mango skin colour during storage.
Saks Y., Hofman P. J., Meiburg G. F.
Author Affiliation: Golan Research Institute, POB 97, Qatzrin, 12900, Israel.
: 325-329
Abstract : To test the potential for postharvest illumination to improve mango skin colour, fruits of cultivars Kensington Pride and Tommy Atkins harvested at commercial maturity were exposed soon after harvest to cool-white fluorescent illumination at 13°C or 20°C (temperatures recommended for mango storage and ripening in Australia, respectively) for 1, 5, 24 or 48 h. Two levels of photon fluency rate (135 and 175 µmol?m-2?s-1) were tested. In both cultivars the response to illumination was greater at 20°C than at 13°C. Both levels of illumination provided similar improvements in skin colour. Illumination of Kensington Pride fruits for 5 or 48 h at both low and high light intensity resulted in significantly more yellow and red colour on the skin than illumination for other durations. Low intensity light exposure for 1 h was not sufficient to have any significant effect on colour of Kensington Pride fruits. Illumination of Tommy Atkins fruits for 24 h with low light intensity increased both the yellow and red colour of the skin.