Effect of pre-harvest calcium fertilizer application on the control of internal browning development during the cold storage of pineapple ‘Mauritius’ (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.)

Abstract

SummaryThe effect of pre-harvest calcium (Ca, as lime) application on the control of internal browning (IB) development and fruit quality in cold stored pineapple ‘Mauritius’ was investigated. Field experiments were conducted with application of lime three doses as basal dressing only and application of three doses of lime as basal dressing followed by three doses as top dressing. Pineapple fruits of 5% maturity stage were harvested and stored in a cold room at 15°C and 80–85% relative humidity (r.h.) for 28 d. Fruits were removed from the cold room after 7, 14, 21 and 28 d of cold storage and analysed for IB development, ascorbic acid, total soluble solids (TSS), percentage weight loss, titratable acidity and pH after keeping for 72 h at room temperature. Fruits from all the lime treatments were significantly lower in IB development than the control after 7, 14, 21 and 28 d of cold storage. The treatment of basal dressing Ca 150 kg ha–1 with top dressing Ca 100 kg ha–1 had the least IB development up to day 28 of cold storage and significantly high (P<0.05) level of ascorbic acid, TSS and significantly low (P<0.05) percentage weight loss during that period. There was no clear relationship between titratable acidity and pH with IB development.