EFFECT OF POSTHARVEST TREATMENT AND ETHREL ON RIPENING AND QUALITY OF MANGO

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the laboratory of the Plant Physiology Section and Postharvest Laboratory under the Horticulture Research Centre (HRC), Joydebpur, Gazipur, during the period from June to July, 2006 to study the effect of postharvest treatment and ethrel on ripening and quality of mango fruits during storage. Mature green mangoes (cv. Langra) were treated with normal and hot water with four ethrel concentrations viz. control (0 ppm), 500 ppm, l 000 ppm and 1500 ppm ethrel. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design (factorial) with three replications. Types of solutions, different ethrel concentrations and their combinations showed significant variation on ripening and quality of mango fruits except moisture content. The hot water treatment with 1000 ppm ethrel treated mangoes gave the highest shelf life (14 days), TSS (22.64%), reducing sugar (5.96%), ascorbic acid ( 18.16 mg/I OOg pulp), pH (5. 77) at 8th days of storage and non­ reducing sugar (16.93%) and total sugar (20.80%) at 61h days of storage. On the other hand, the lowest percent rottening (33.27%), titrable acidity (0.08%) and weight loss (11.27%) were found in hot water with 1000 ppm ethrel during 81h days of storage. The quick ripening (1 day) and lowest value of ascorbic acid were found in hot water with 1500 ppm ethrel treatment. From the investigation, it may be concluded that hot water with I 000 ppm ethrel treatment was found most effective for ripening and better quality of mango.