UV-C irradiation could be used as an effective and rapid method to extend the postharvest life of mature green mangoes

Mature green ?Kensington Pride? mangoes (Mangifera indica L.) were treated with a short-term UV-C light at four different intensities (0, 4.0, 8.3 and 11.7 kJ m-2). After treatment, mangoes were stored for 12 d in air (<0.005 ?L L-1 ethylene) or 0.1 ?L L-1 ethylene at 20 ?C and 100% relative humidity (RH). Weight loss, peel colour, firmness, ethylene production, respiration rate, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), total chlorophyll content, total phenolic content (TPC) and total antioxidant activity were assessed at 3-d intervals. The results showed that UV-C treatment delayed skin degreening, reduced endogenous ethylene production, suppressed respiration rate and lowered chlorophyll content compared to untreated control fruit. Fruit treated with UV-C had significantly higher TPC and total antioxidant activity at the end of the storage period than untreated fruits for both storage atmospheres. In addition, UV-C treated fruits remained significantly firmer than untreated fruits. UV-C treatment significantly affected TSS and TA levels in different ways. Storage of fruits in 0.1 ?L L-1 ethylene significantly affected fruit firmness, respiration rate and ethylene production, while other fruit quality parameters were similar to fruit stored in air. These results indicated that UV-C irradiation could be used as an effective and rapid method to extend the postharvest life of mature green mangoes without adversely affecting certain quality attributes in the presence of low-level ethylene during storage.FigureTotal chlorophyll content (A,B) and colour (C,D) of mangoes after treatment with UV-C,?followed by storage for 12 d in continuous air containing <0.005 ?L L?1 (A,C) and 0.1 ?L L?1 ethylene?(B,D) at 20 ?C. Different letters above bars indicate values are statistically different within storage day?(P< 0.05).QuotationPostharvest UV-C Treatment, Followed by Storage in a Continuous Low-Level Ethylene Atmosphere, Maintains the Quality of ?Kensington Pride? Mango Fruit Stored at 20?CPenta Pristijono?1, John B. Golding 1,2OrcID and Michael C. Bowyer 11 -?School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, NSW 2258, Australia2 -?NSW Department of Primary Industries, Ourimbah, NSW 2258, AustraliaHorticulturae 2019, 5(1), 1 This article belongs to the?Special Issue "Molecular, Genetic and Physiological Control of Fruit Quality" Source?