Respiration and ripening patterns in the life cycle of the mango fruit

Abstract

SummaryAlphonso mangoes picked at any stage of maturity (starting from fruit-set) and stored at room temperature show typical respiratory changes characteristic of a fully matured mango. Fruits picked during the earlier and later stages of development show respiration climacteric within 6–10 days. During the middle stages of development the preclimacteric trough continues to extend and the climacteric occurs after 10 days. Fully mature, tree-ripe mangoes do not show a respiratory climacteric during post-harvest storage.Chemical constituents, such as titratable acids, apparent ascorbic acid, carbohydrates and carotenoids, estimated both at harvest and in ripe fruits from different pickings show changes similar to those characteristic of a fully matured ripening fruit.Possibilities of reducing losses from pre-harvest fruit drop and post-harvest decay by resorting to early harvesting are discussed.