Minimizing fruit decay in papaya (Carica papaya L.) through postharvest treatments
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Date
2017-07
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Department of Food Science and Postharvest Technology, BAU, Sabour
Abstract
Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is the most economically important fruit crop, belongs to family Caricaceae and possesses very high nutritional and nutraceutical properties. It is a good source of vitamin A (2020 IU), ascorbic acid, minerals (Iron, calcium, potassium etc.) polysaccharides and proteins. Now a day, consumers are highly concerned about their health. Therefore, its demand is increasing day by day in both domestic as well as international market. India is the largest producer of papaya contributing 42% of world production but contributes only less than 5% in export market. Postharvest losses are high in papaya due to its high perishable nature due to rapid ripening and susceptibility to biotic and abiotic stresses. About 40- 70% of the papaya fruits grown in India are lost due to improper handling practices. Spoilage of papaya during storage causes a serious problem to traders and consumers. Hence keeping these points in view, the present investigation entitled “Minimizing fruit decay in Papaya (Carica papaya L.) through postharvest treatments” was conducted in the Department of Food Science and Postharvest Technology, BAU, Sabour.
The experiment was laid down in complete randomized design with seven treatments and three replications. The experiment consists seven treatment including control as Salicylic acid 0.5 mM (T1), Salicylic acid 1 mM (T2), Nitric oxide 1 mM (T3), Nitric oxide 2 mM (T4), Calcium chloride 1% (T5), Calcium chloride 2% (T6) and Control (T7). Papaya fruits cv. Red Lady, were procured from orchard of BAC, Sabour. Fruits were harvested early in the morning, carefully brought to departmental laboratory and subjected to different treatments. Afterwards, the treated fruits were air dried properly and stored at ambient conditions. Different physical and biochemical analyses were performed during storage at certain day’s intervals.
The results revealed that calcium chloride 2% was the most effective for maintaining postharvest quality. The fruits had good firmness and maintained TSS, acidity, total chlorophyll, free radical scavenging activity and ascorbic acid on 6th day of storage at ambient temperature. Moreover, the weight loss, yellow colour development and disease incidence was minimum in calcium chloride 2% followed by 1% solution of calcium chloride. The nitric oxide (2 mM) maintained higher antioxidant activity and total phenolics content in fruits that was followed by 1 Mm salicylic acid during storage.
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