Effect of Packing Materials on Shelf Life of Tomato (<i>Lycopersicon esculentum Mill</i>) Under Laboratory Condition

Abstract

The experiment was done to study the effect of packing materials on the shelf life of tomatoes <i>(lycopersican esulentam</i>) under laboratory conditions of Hawassa University Agriculture College protection laboratory in 2020. To reduce post-harvest losses of tomato production the packing materials such as Nets, DPB, LTPB, and cartons were evaluated concerning their effect on the produce of shelf life of tomatoes under laboratory conditions. These studies were conducted for analysis of total weight losses, disease incidence and severity, firmness, pH value, TSS and TAA green matured tomatoes at 20°C laboratory conditions. In general, after 24 days of the storage period, the pH value of the tomato was high a significant difference within each other treatment, and the total weight losses were relatively different with the low temperature of storage condition. The disease incidence and severity closely occurred on the control with 100±2.5298%. The TSS and TAA DPB, LTPB treatment was found to be superior in retaining maximum TSS, titrable acidity, and ascorbic acid content of tomato fruits even up to the end of the storage period. The firmness measured by the newton of treatment five shows high superiority which recorded carton (743.33N ±60.590) when compared with control (130N ±60.590). The firmness values were decreased in all the samples stored in different conditions and with different packing materials.