Harvesting Strategy for Different Mango Varieties Based on Comparative Sugar and Phenol Contents

Abstract

The main objective of the study is to assess the key harvesting time based on the comparative evaluation of the total sugar and phenol contents and also their health beneficial antioxidant potentiality during the stages of fruit development of three mango cultivars, viz. Amrapali, Laxmanbhog, and Gooti, to extend the post-harvest storage and shelf-life for mango fruit consumption and processing. The study reflects that the gross total sugar contents (30–80 mg/g) of all three varieties were the same at the final stage of ripening, while there were remarkable differences in phenol and antioxidant contents. Total phenol contents (TPCs) in the epicarp and mesocarp region of fruits were ranged from 10 to 95 µg/g and 7 to 40 µg/g, respectively, in the different varieties. The Amrapali variety showed the highest TPC in the epicarp in stage one (95 µg/g) than the other cultivars. The antioxidant capacity of this variety gradually increased with the ripening stages which were quite contradictory to the other two varieties. The greater antioxidant activity of Amrapali and Laxmanbhog was observed throughout the developmental stages than the wild cultivar, Gooti. These results indicate that the late 3rd stage or early 4th stage would be the key harvesting time and post-harvest storage with extended shelf-life with reduced incidence of anthracnose and other fruit spoilage diseases. The high sugar and antioxidant contents in these cheap fruits, apart from delicacies, could contribute a valuable source of antioxidants to all classes of people in their daily diet.