Physiological and biochemical changes in peach fruit during cold storage

Peach is a climacteric fruit, which undergoes through various ripening changes after ripening and has very short post-harvest life at ambient conditions. Study was conducted to enhance the storage life of peach fruits. Uniform plants of peach cv. Shan-i-Punjab were sprayed with putrescine and calcium nitrate at three concentrations each viz., 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 mmol L⁻¹ and 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0%, respectively. 10 and 20 days before harvesting and physiologically mature peach fruits were harvested from treated plants, packed in CFB boxes and stored at 0 to 1°C and 9095% RH for 40 days. Results revealed that fruits treated with putrescine @ 3 mmol L⁻¹,putrescine @ 2 mmol L⁻¹ and calcium nitrate @ 2%(sprayed 10 days before harvesting) registered lower average physiological loss in weight, high sensory quality, low spoilage and high total sugars at the end of storage.