Effects of Packaging and Low Temperature on Shelf Life and Quality of Litchi

Abstract

Litchi is a non-climacteric fruit (Wills et al. 2004) and it deteriorates very fast after harvest. Various technologies have been devised to minimize the post-harvest losses of litchi, one of such technologies is the use of PP bag & low temperature. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the effects of thiLitchi is a non-climacteric fruit and it deteriorates very fast after harvest. Various technologies have been devised to minimize the post-harvest losses of Litchi; one of such technologies is the use of Polypropylene bag and low temperature. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the effects of thickness of polypropylene bags and low temperature on the storage behavior of Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn, var. Bombai). The experiment consisted of two factors including temperature (T1: Ambient temperature, T2: 4oC temperature); and Polypropylene bags (P1: Control (unwrapped), P2: 50 μm Polypropylene bag, P3: 75 μm Polypropylene bag, P4: 100 μm Polypropylene bag. The experiment was conducted in completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. The postharvest treatments caused highly significant variation in the shelf life of Litchi. Among the treated and untreated fruits, 75 μm Polypropylene bags at low temperature (4 oC) exhibited better storage performance. The fruits wrapped in 75 μm Polypropylene bag at 4 °C showed the longest shelf life (23.67 days) followed by 50 μm and 100 μm Polypropylene bags at 4 °C (23.33 days). The shortest shelf life was obtained in the untreated fruits (3 days). It may be concluded that keeping Litchi in 75 μm Polypropylene bag and stored in low temperature (4 oC) is the best postharvest approach to extend Litchi shelf life without considerable negative effects on fruit quality. For short-term storage of Litchi fruits 75 μm Polypropylene bag at ambient temperature is recommended.ckness of polypropylene bags and low temperature on the storage behaviour of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn, var. Bombai). The experiment consisted of two factors. Factor A: Temperature viz. T1: Ambient temperature, T2: 4oC temperature; Factor B: PP bags (Polypropylene bag) viz. P1: Control (unwrapped), P2: 50 micro meter (µm) PP bag, P3: 75µmm PP bag, P4: 100µm PP bag. The experiment was conducted in completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. The postharvest treatments showed highly significant variation in the shelf life of litchi. Among the treated and untreated fruits, 75µm pp bag at low temperature (4oC) treatment exhibited better storage performance. The fruits wrapped in 75µm pp bag at 4°C showed the longest shelf life (23.67 days) followed by 50µm & 100µm pp bag at 4°C (23.33 days) and it was the lowest in the untreated fruits (3 days). More research should be conducted by using other litchi cultivar like Bedana, China-3 etc. It may be concluded that keeping litchi in 75µ PP bag and stored in low temperature (4oC) is the best to extend its shelf life without affecting the quality. For short-term storage of litchi fruits 75µ PP bag at ambient temperature would be recommended.