Articles
Effect of sucrose and calcium chloride pulsing on early season ‘Hass’ avocado fruit exocarp chilling injury and colour change during storage and ripening
Article number
1422_51
Pages
423 – 430
Language
English
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the role of sucrose and calcium postharvest pulsing on early matured ‘Hass’ avocado exocarp colour change during ripening.
Early matured ‘Hass’ fruit were continuously infused through the pedicel with different sucrose and calcium chloride solutions; 0 (control), distilled water, sucrose at 0.2 and 0.5 mM, and calcium chloride at 2 and 3 mM. Thereafter, treated, and untreated fruit were stored at 5.5°C for 28 days.
After removal from cold storage, fruit were ripened at ambient temperature (±25°C) and evaluated every other day for firmness, subjective colour (visual colour), objective colour parameters (lightness – L*, chroma – C* and hue angle – h°), external chilling injury and ripening percentage.
The results showed that 0.2 mM sucrose, and 2 and 3 mM calcium chloride extended the ripening period by one day while maintaining fruit firmness.
Furthermore, these treatments reduced the ‘Hass’ avocado fruit chilling injury index (CII), resulting in improved ‘Hass’ avocado fruit exocarp colour change during ripening when compared with the control.
In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that sucrose and CaCl2 applied as postharvest treatments may contribute to avocado colour development by increasing anthocyanin synthesis and accumulation.
Early matured ‘Hass’ fruit were continuously infused through the pedicel with different sucrose and calcium chloride solutions; 0 (control), distilled water, sucrose at 0.2 and 0.5 mM, and calcium chloride at 2 and 3 mM. Thereafter, treated, and untreated fruit were stored at 5.5°C for 28 days.
After removal from cold storage, fruit were ripened at ambient temperature (±25°C) and evaluated every other day for firmness, subjective colour (visual colour), objective colour parameters (lightness – L*, chroma – C* and hue angle – h°), external chilling injury and ripening percentage.
The results showed that 0.2 mM sucrose, and 2 and 3 mM calcium chloride extended the ripening period by one day while maintaining fruit firmness.
Furthermore, these treatments reduced the ‘Hass’ avocado fruit chilling injury index (CII), resulting in improved ‘Hass’ avocado fruit exocarp colour change during ripening when compared with the control.
In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that sucrose and CaCl2 applied as postharvest treatments may contribute to avocado colour development by increasing anthocyanin synthesis and accumulation.
Publication
Authors
D.R. Chuene, T.P. Mafeo, K. Shikwambana, N. Mathaba
Keywords
Persea americana, fruit skin, lightness, hue angle, firmness, postharvest management
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