Good results with HDPE and LDPE packaging materials to extend postharvest life of guava

Guava (Psidium guajava L.), having 2n=22, belongs to the family Myrtaceae and is native of Mexico. Guava has limited storage potential at ambient conditions, which leads to glut in market and poor return?to the growers. Moreover, over ripe fruit at ambient conditions lead to lot of wastage and economic?losses. Post-harvest losses can be minimized by adopting proper post-harvest handling practices and?better understanding of biochemical control of fruit ripening. Postharvest life of fruits and vegetables can?be extended by using LDPE and HDPE films these films are commonly used to minimize weight loss,?reduce abrasion, damage and delay. fruit ripening in view of above information an experiment is?proposed to be conducted with following objectives,1) To increase the post-harvest life of guava fruits?under ambient condition.2) To study the effect of packaging materials on and quality and shelf life of?guava fruits. The experiment on ?Some aspects post-harvest handling of guava cv. Khaja as influenced?by packaging materials? was conducted during the period of December 2015-January 2016 in the?department of Post-Harvest Technology of Horticultural Crops, Faculty of Horticulture, Bidhan Chandra?Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Nadia, to study the effect of treatments on quality of guava fruits. Guava fruits cv. Khaja was harvested at properly matured but?unripe stage and brought to the laboratory for post-harvest?study. The hands were separated from the bunch, washed and?kept under fan for surface drying. Guava fruits after proper?surface drying. Guava fruits after proper surface drying were?packed with different packaging materials viz. Low Density?Polyethylene(LDPE) and High density polythene (HDPE)?with varying amount of perforation i.e. 1%,2% and no?perforation and one ethylene absorbent sachets was place d in?each bag @4gm KMnO 4 /Kg of fruit). Fruits without packaging and ethylene absorbent were kept as control for?comparison. 10 fruits were place in each polyethylene bag and constituted one replication.? All?treatments were kept in ambient condition. The fruits were examined for Tss Sugars, Acidity and?Vitamin-C (*).The treatments which not only extended the shelf life and increased marketable fruits but also?reduced the post ?harvest losses without adversely affecting the fruit quality of guava. These treatments?are found obviously easy for practical application for extending the shelf life of guava. ? (*) EN - No mention about decay available on the paper.? SourcesEffect of HDPE and LDPE packaging materials on?chemical parameters of guava cv Khaja?Soudamalla Nagaraju and AK BanikJournal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2019; 8(1): 1635-1641http://www.phytojournal.com/archives/2019/vol8issue1/PartAA/8-1-367-823.pdfPicture by?Siam Fresh ?