1Department of Horticulture, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
2Division of fruit Science, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
3Department of Food Technology, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, India
*Corresponding author: rajahadin@gmail.com
Online published on 18 May, 2015.
The effectiveness of pre-harvest calcium, chloride on post-harvest life and quality of peach fruits were studied. Calcium chloride viz. 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% was sprayed to peach plants at pit hardening stage, 10 and 20 days after pit hardening. Peach fruits harvested at physiological mature stage were sorted, washed, air dried and packed in CFB boxes before placing in cold store (temperature 0–10 and RH 85–90%). Changes in PLW, fruit firmness, sensory quality, pulp: stone, total sugars, total phenolics and calcium content were studied. Calcium chloride @ 1.5% (three sprays) resulted in minimum PLW, total sugars and maximum fruit firmness, sensory quality score, pulp: stone, total phenolics and calcium content during the stipulated storage period.
Three sprays of calcium chloride @ 1.5% was found effective in enhancing the storage life and maintaining fruit quality of Peach cv. Shan-i-Punjab.
Cold Storage, Weight loss, Peach, Calcium chloride, Total Phenolics, Fruit quality
