Retaining fruit quality in mango with no refrigeration

This study aimed to assess differences in the ripening behavior of Pusa Manohari and Amrapali mango (Mangifera indica) fruit retained on the tree and harvested mangoes with and without 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatments. 

On-tree mangoes, grown at ICAR_IARI, Delhi, India, were freshly harvested every 3 days, starting 120 days after flowering, from an IARI orchard and evaluated after a 4-hour incubation at 27 °C. 

These on-tree mangoes were tested for internal and external color, firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), respiration rate, and density. Additionally, mangoes harvested on the 6th, 16th, 22nd, and 42nd day from the start date were stored (off-tree) in ambient conditions. 

1-MCP treatments (1-ppm) were given as a single dose on the day of harvest or given as multiple (daily) doses for 7 consecutive days. 

These off-tree mangoes were evaluated for quality characteristics over the storage duration. 

Results

Over the 60 days of the study, on-tree mangoes exhibited negligible changes in TSS until they were harvested, at which point, ripening and starch conversion was rapid. Starch conversion rate was maturity-dependent, increasing as the harvest season progressed. 

The rate of change of skin color, flesh color, ethylene production, time to climacteric, and fruit firmness was also slowed markedly by retention of fruit on the tree. 

Single doses of 1-MCP had no effect on any ripening parameter. Multiple/continuous doses of 1- MCP produced a slight delay in ripening of Pusa Manohari, but not Amrapali. 

The mangoes left on the tree took a longer time to ripen as compared to when they were harvested and stored in ambient conditions even when treated with 1-MCP. 

The data suggest that, lacking refrigeration, the best option for retaining fruit quality in these two mango varieties is to delay harvest. The nature of the inhibitory action of the tree on ripening is not known.

Sources

Some varieties of Indian mangoes are better stored on the tree than harvested and treated with 1-MCP

Sangeeta Chopra*, Shubhangi Nile, Manish Srivastava, P.K. Sharma, P.K. Sahoo, Roaf Parray, Randolph Beaudry

*Correspondence: dhingra.sangeeta@gmail.com

EHC, European Horticulture Congress, May 12 - 16, 2024, https://ehc.usamv.ro/, Symposium 10.

Symposium 10 book of summaries, https://ehc.usamv.ro/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/S10-Book-of-Abstracts.pdf

Picture
https://vegetablewale.in/product/amrapali-mango/