EFFECT OF CHEMICALS AND NANOSILVER PARTICLES ON POST-HARVEST DISEASES AND STORAGE LIFE OF POMEGRANATE (Punica granatum L.) FRUITS
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Date
2019-05-09
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UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, GKVK BENGALURU
Abstract
Pomegranate is an important export-oriented crop rich in antioxidants.
Investigations were carried-out during 2017-18 to study the “Effect of chemicals and
nanosilver particles on post-harvest diseases and storage life of pomegranate (Punica
granatum L.) fruits” at Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, GKVK, UAS,
Bengaluru. Selection of the right packing material is important in order to achieve a
desirable storage life. Among the different levels of ventilation used in packing material,
Unventilated packages were identified as best packaging material for maintaining
nutritional quality, control postharvest disease loss and storage life of pomegranate fruits.
Pomegranate fruits packaged in unventilated nanosilver packages recorded lower TSS
(15.21 0B), pH (3.19), PLW (3.70 %), total peel colour (57.84 ΔE), fruit firmness (20.55
N), respectively and higher titratable acidity (0.69 %), anthocyanin content (58.77 mg
100 g-1), reducing sugars (7.29 %), total sugars (9.20 %), visual acceptance (5.00),
respectively. Spoilage was not observed and had a higher storage life of 74 days,
respectively. Nanosilver composite packages without ventilation were found to be
superior over other treatments namely, 1 per cent ventilation, 2 per cent ventilation and
control. It is concluded that the fruits stored in unventilated nanosilver composite
packages were superior in various parameters due to the properties of nanosilver
packages like it reduces the moisture and gaseous exchange acting as a barrier thereby
reducing the respiration. It even reduces sudden variations in temperatures, which makes
it uncongenial for pathogen activity. They serve as good packages due to its lighter
weight, flexibility and stability.