ABSTRACT
Sapburn injury in mango is regarded as the most serious problem as it reduces the aesthetic appeal and downgrade the fruit quality with considerable economic losses. For the control of sapburn injury, physiologically mature mango fruits of cv. Chausa were harvested along with 5-8 cm stalk attached. Immediately after harvesting, fruits were de-stemmed and treated with different desapping agent solutions [calcium hydroxide (1 %), sodium hydroxide (1 %), alum (0.5 and 1 %)] by dipping them for 5 min. In control fruits, the pedicels were removed and sap was allowed to spread freely over the fruit surface. After treatment application, fruits were air-dried and stored at ambient condition (30 ± 2 °C) for 12 days. Among the treatments, fruits desapped with sodium hydroxide (1 %) showed significantly lower (7.6-fold) sapburn injury followed by alum (0.5 %) treatment than control. Respiration and ethylene evolution rates were also significantly suppressed and delayed with sodium hydroxide (1 %) treatment. Fruit firmness and functional properties like, antioxidant capacity, total carotenoids and total phenolics content were also found higher in sodium hydroxide (1 %) treated fruits. Pectin methyl esterase and polygalacturonase enzyme activity were recorded higher in fruits of control and calcium hydroxide treatment however; it was suppressed by sodium hydroxide and alum treatments. Fruit quality parameters like color, total soluble solids, titratable acidity and total sugars content were found higher in calcium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide treated fruits than control and alum treated fruits.
ABSTRACT
Functional properties (anthocyanins, antioxidant, ascorbic acid and tannin) and sensory score were determined in pomegranate fruits at two storage temperatures (3 and 5 °C) after treatment with 2 mM putrescine and 1 : 10 carnauba wax (carnauba wax : water). The treatments (putrescine and carnauba wax) were given by immersion method followed by storage up to 60 days. Both treatments retained significantly higher anthocyanins, antioxidant, ascorbic acid, tannin and sensory qualities as compared with control fruits under both the storage conditions. Combined application of putrescine + carnauba wax showed better response in retaining functional properties than putrescine treated or nontreated fruits. The impacts of putrescine and carnauba wax treatments were found more pronounced after 30 days at 3-5 °C storage temperature in retaining functional and sensory qualities. After 60 days of storage, putrescine + carnauba wax retained about 25% higher antioxidant activity both at 3 and 5 °C storage temperatures.
