EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PACKAGING MATERIALS ON POST-HARVEST LIFE OF MANDARIN (CITRUS RETICULATA BLANCO)

Abstract

Mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) is a major fruit crop of Nepal and faces huge post-harvest loss due to inconvenient and unscientific practices in post-harvest. To identify better practices, seven treatments viz no packaging materials (T1), cardboard packaging (T2), newspaper wrapping (T3), plastic packaging without any perforation (T4), plastic packaging with three perforations (T5), plastic packaging with six perforations (T6) and rice straw packaging (T7) replicated three times. The research was evaluated on the color, physiological weight loss, juice content, total soluble solids, pH, and total acidity on the 5th, 10th, and 15th days. The physiological weight loss and juice recovery percentage were only affected whereas other parameters remained unaffected by packaging materials. Plastic packaged with six perforations mandarin accounts lowest weight loss i.e., 8.56%, and the highest juice recovery i.e. 41.07%. To summarize, plastic (20 microns) packaged with six perforations is the best way to enhance the post-harvest life of mandarin among used treatments.