Effect of Post-Harvest Calcium Chloride Treatment on Quality and Shelf Life of Apple (<i>Malus domestica</i>)

Abstract

In Ethiopia, apple production is estimated to be about 50 metric tons collected from 35,000 small apple fruit producers annually. But lack of appropriate post-harvest care has been influencing the quality and shelf life of apple. In view of this, the current study was initiated with the objective of investigating the effect of post-harvest calcium treatment on quality and shelf life of fresh apple fruit. The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four level of treatments and three replications. The levels of treatments involved in the experiment were four concentrations of calcium chloride (Control (0%), 1%, 2%, 3%). Data such as fruit firmness, juice yield, pH value, weight loss, Unmarketable (damaged) and marketable (undamaged) were measured at 1,5,10 and 15 days of post-harvest life. Collected data was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA), SAS version 9.4. Non-significant difference was observed in fruit pH, while a significant difference was observed in all the remaining studied parameters during storage days. The results showed that fruits treated with 3% CaCl₂ were found to be most acceptable. In general, maximum firmness, TA, TSS and marketability and reduced damage and weight loss was recorded by postharvest treatment of apple fruit by 3% concentration of CaCl₂. The final result of this research shown that calcium chloride can enhance quality and shelf of apple fruit. Therefore, it can be recommended that farmers and other grower to use 3% CaCl₂ treatment till the study is repeated over years and locations.