A method of eliminating many of the problems which reduce the value of mangoes.
Oosthuyse S. A.
Author Affiliation: HortResearch SA, P.O. Box 3849, Tzaneen 0850, South Africa.
: 41-44
Abstract : Mango fruits are often fraught with problems which reduce quality. These mostly relate to skin sensitivity, attractiveness to insects, and susceptibility to fungal and bacterial infection which ultimately causes rotting. By bagging mangoes when they are golf-ball to tennis ball size, mango growers may be able to eliminate most the problems which reduce selling price. In the present study, the effectiveness of bagging as a means of preventing postharvest disease is shown. Individual Kent mangoes were bagged whilst still on the trees with waxed, opaque paper bags when they were golf-ball size. Unsprayed, un-bagged fruits served as controls. Varying degrees of bag breakage were observed at harvest. Some of the bags remained intact, however. After harvest and bag-removal, the fruits were placed in cold-storage at 12.5°C for 28 days. They were then allowed to continue ripening at 20°C. Pre-storage packline hot water, fungicide and wax treatment was excluded. Extent of decay on ripening was directly related to degree of fruit exposure (degree of bag breakage in the bagged fruits) prior to harvest. The fruits removed from the unbroken bags did not show signs of decay on ripening. Skin colouration (blush and ground colouration), shelf-life, and taste were unaffected by bagging. It is concluded that bagging may be an effective measure to avoid fruit problems associated with environmental hazards such as insect attack, sunburn, wind abrasion, sap spurt at harvest, damage due to small hail stones, and pre-harvest disease infection. Disease infection is often associated with water run-off from leaves and branches.