Effect of Post Harvest Treatments on Physiological Changes of Sapota cv. Kalipatti at Ambient Storage

To study the effect of post harvest treatments such as chitosan (1.5%), wax (6%), salicylic acid (0.01%), calcium nitrate (2.0%), Aloe vera gel (20%) and Trichoderma harzianum (10 g/l) on physiological changes and shelf life of sapota cv. Kalipatti. Among the seven post harvest treatments, 6 per cent wax coated fruits were superior in maintaining better physico-chemical and organoleptic qualities even upto 10 days of storage followed by 20 per cent Aloe vera gel, 2 per cent calcium nitrate and 0.01 per cent salicylic acid (9.67 days each). Further, Aloe vera gel and chitosan treated fruits showed least decay as compared to control fruits. Post harvest dipping of fruits in 6 per cent wax (T₃), 20 per cent Aloe vera gel (T₅), 2 per cent calcium nitrate (T₄) and 0.01 per cent salicylic acid (T₂) for 5 minute was found minimum physiological loss in weight and respiration rate. In our investigation the Trichoderma harzianum (UAS, Dharwad strain) not shown any significant effect on post harvest shelf life of sapota.