Effect of different treatments of ethrel on ripening behaviour and post- harvest quality of mango (Mangiferaindica L.) during storage

Abstract

An experiment was done to assess the effect of various post -harvest treatments of ethrel on ripening behaviour and post -harvest quality of mango cv. Amrapali (Mangiferaindica L.) during storage at Punjab Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Gurdaspur during the years 2013-14 and 2014-15. The experiment was planned under completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. The treatment units was six fruits per replication. Total five treatments and control were applied. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of various concentrations of ethrel (500 ppm, 750 ppm, 1000 ppm,1250 ppm, 1500 ppm and control ) on shelf life of mango fruits when stored under ambient conditions. The treated fruits were assessed for physiological changes fruit colour, flavour/aroma, organoleptic taste, marketability, ripening, specific gravity, moisture loss, decay, physiological loss in weight (PLW), total soluble solids (TSS), acidity and sugars. The observations were recorded at 5, 8 and 11 days after storage. At 11th day of storage these mangoes exhibited deep yellow fruit colour with excellent flavour, organoleptic taste and highly acceptable marketability at 1000 ppm ethrel treatment as compared to other ethrel doses. Fruit ripening (100%), specific gravity (0.84), TSS(23°Brix) and sugars(20.65%) were highest in the fruits treated with 1000ppm ethrel as compared to rest of treatments at 11th day of storage. Lowest moisture loss (8.5%), decay (1%), PLW(12.50%) and acidity(0.12%) were observed in the fruits treated with 1000ppm of ethrel as compared to rest of treatments at 11th day of storage. The beneficial effect of the present study is to overcome the problem of uneven and late ripening of Amrapali mango by postharvest treatment of ethrel at 1000 ppm at their mature green stage to develop typical fruit flavour with excellent fruit quality.