Effect of water stress and chemical spray treatments on postharvest quality in mango fruits cv. Haden, in Michoacan, Mexico.
Vega Pina A., Nieto Angel D., Mena Nevarez G.
Author Affiliation: Colegio de Postgraduados-Instituto de Fitosanidad, Km 36.5 Carretera Mexico-Texcoco. C.P. 56230, Montecillo, Mpio de Texcoco, Mexico.
: 617-630
Abstract : Climatic factors (temperature, wind, rain, quality of air and solar light) and management practices (rootstocks, cultivars, plantation design, pruning, irrigation, application of growth regulators, fertilizers, and pests and disease control) affect the quality of mango fruits. The effects of water stress, applied for 45 or 30 days before flowering, and 3 chemical products (ethephon, tribasic sulfate copper + sulfurate humectable, and propiconazole + metidation [methidathion]) applied during both periods of water stress, on the postharvest fruit quality of mango cv. Haden were investigated in Mexico. Fruits were stored at 13°C for 21 days after harvest. The 45 day water stress fruits (45-fruits) were heavier than the 30 day water stress fruits (30-fruits). 45-Fruits exhibited a higher incidence and severity of internal darkening, were firmer, contained a higher content of titratable acidity, and fruit skins were redder than 30-fruits. A lower incidence of internal darkening was observed in the tribasic sulfate copper + sulfurate humectable treatment compared with the other treatments. Ethephon-treated fruits were the firmest, with the highest titratable acidity and were redder than the propiconazole + metidation treated fruits. Fruits reached their climacteric peak of respiration 6 days after harvest.