Studies on storage of mango

Abstract

An investigation on the effect of using skin coating waxol, in combination with heat treatment and fungicides on ripening and keeping quality of the important cultivar ‘Alphonso’ mango was made. The experiment had 10 treatments with replicates for each treatment. The effects of treatments on physicochemical changes, ripening and spoilage were observed during a storage period of 20 days. Post harvest hot water treatment of Alphonso mango at 52+ 1 ºC for 5 minutes resulted in hastening of ripening process, reduced spoilage and development of uniform orange surface colour of the fruit. The use of Benlate at 500 ppm reduced the spoilage and the extent of reduction was on par with hot water treatment. Further reduction of spoilage by combination of hot water and fungicides (Benlate and T.B.Z. at 500 ppm) was not evident. Waxol treatment retarded ripening by 5 days as compared to the control, and retained freshness of the fruit up to 20 days of storage. Waxol treatment combined with (i) hot water alone and (ii) with fungicides Benlate and T.B.Z. at 500 ppm were the best, with reference to the quality of ripe fruits and control of spoilage after 20 days of storage at ambient conditions. Organoleptic quality of the fruit was not affected by post harvest treatment.