Abstract
Eight experiments were conducted during June, 2002 to June 2004 to develop an integrated control measure for post harvest diseases of mango. Hot water treatment, botanicals, fungicides, coating chemicals and packaging materials were tested with Amrapali and Fazli. Incidence and severity of stem-end rot and anthracnose were recorded. Fruit qualities were assayed by biochemical analysis. The results indicated an increase in number of lesions and fruit area diseased with the advancement of storage period. Number of lesions was higher in Amrapali than that in Fazli. Fruit area diseased was higher in Fazli than that in Amrapali. Amrapali was very susceptible to Anthracnose and Fazli to stem-end rot. Botryodiplodia theobromae pat. was identified as causal agent of stem-end rot while Colletotrichum gloeosporioides of anthracnose. Hot water treatment at 55ºC for 5 minutes showed the best performance to reduce incidence and severity of anthracnose and stem-end rot. It retained the original qualities of the fruits. The stored fruits packed in perforated white polythene bag immediately after harvest had the lowest disease incidence and severity. For long distance road transportation wooden box was the best for reducing incidence and severity of post harvest diseases and extended shelf life of the fruits. Paraffin coating was most effective to control post harvest diseases and extend shelf life (22- 25 days). Soybean oil extended shelf life (16- 20 days) but was less effective to check diseases. Bavistin delayed ripening time and kept original green color in fruits up to 15 days. Bavistin treated fruits had the least disease incidence and severity up to 11 days of storage. CuSO₄ treatment with neem- oil coating delayed fruit ripening and gave best score in respect of general appearance and eating quality at ripe stage. KMnO₄ treated fruits caused off-flavor which made the fruits inedible. The variation in shelf life was highly significant between Amrapali and Fazli. The longest shelf life was found in Amrapali and the shortest in Fazli. Biochemical analysis indicated that the attributes such as pᴴ, dry-matter, total soluble solids (TSS), reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar, total sugar and weight loss increased while moisture, ash, and vitamin-C content of the fruits decreased with increase of storage period. Integration of hot water treatment (55ºC for 5 minutes), application of GA3, coating with thin layer of Bordeaux paste and storage in perforated polythene bag resulted significant reduction in incidence and severity of post harvest diseases and consequently increased the shelf-life of mango.