Treatments for reducing latex injury in mango fruit (Mangifera indica).
Montero M., Molina M. E.
Author Affiliation: Laboratorio de Tecnología Poscosecha, Centro de Investigaciones Agronómicas, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
Agronomía Costarricense 29 : 221-229
Abstract : The effect of alternative treatments to reduce mango sapburns in fresh mangoes (cv. Amarilla) was evaluated. The treatments comprised: water solutions of ether lauril sodium sulfonate (ELSS), sulfonic acid (AS), coconut amide (AC), ethoxylated nonylphenol (NFE), at 1% each; sodium hypochlorite (100 and 200 mg/litre); tap water; and 3 controls (air desapping, and pouring latex on the fruit skin, with and without cleaning). The incidence and severity of fruit injury were measured in skin stains and lenticel darkening. The latex residues and stains covered less than 5% of the fruit surface. The tensoactive solutions and sapburns were darker on fruits desapped in water and on fruits intentionally stained. The AS, AC and NFE tensoactive treatments caused lenticel darkening, affecting 60 to 100% of the surface, most of which registered as severe injuries (3.8 to 4.0 in severity scale), and not necessarily under the latex residues. The colour of the latex injury was very light when fruits were air desapped (0.8); moderate in colour when tap water desapped, and 1.7, 1.6 and 1.3, respectively, when desapped in 100 and 200 mg/litre chlorine solutions. The hot water with fungicide treatment, applied after desapping, made the latex-stained area larger. The anti-latex treatments using ELSS (1%), 100 mg/litre chlorine solution and air desapping were most effective in reducing latex injury.