Effect of various postharvest treatments on extension of shelf life of Kesar mango fruits.
Waskar D. P., Gaikwad R. S.
Author Affiliation: Department of Horticulture, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri - 413 722, India.
Indian Journal of Agricultural Research 39 : 95-102
Abstract : A laboratory experiment was conducted to study the effect of various postharvest treatments on extension of shelf life of mango cv. Kesar fruits. Mango fruits were harvested at proper stage of maturity and subjected to various postharvest dip treatments such as calcium chloride (2%), waxing (6%) and fungicides, i.e. Bavistin [carbendazim] (0.1%) and captan (0.2%) either alone or in combination. The mango fruits were then packed in corrugated fibre board boxes and stored in 3 storage environments, i.e. at room temperature (28.12 to 36.18°C and 46.18 to 71.25% relative humidity), in a cool chamber (21.47 to 27.10°C and 91 to 95% relative humidity) and cool store (10°C and 90 to 95% relative humidity). The shelf life of mango fruits could be extended up to 65 days when treated with a combination of CaCl2 (2%) + wax (6%) + Bavistin (0.1%) and stored in cool store, up to 35 days when stored in cool chamber and up to 24 days when stored at room temperature. On the contrary, the shelf life of untreated fruits was 18 days or less at room temperature. It was also observed that this treatment recorded lower physiological loss in weight and high organoleptic score when stored in cool store and cool chamber compared to room temperature storage. The untreated (control) fruits were found to be infected with Colletotrichum gloeosporioides [Glomerella cingulata], Diploidia natalensis [Botryodiplodia theobromae] and Rhizopus sp.