Study on the role of calcium salts on the shelf life of mango

Two calcium salts i.e. Calcium chloride and Calcium sulphate at different concentrations i.e. 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0% were examined for fruit ripening and shelf life of mango variety Sindhri. The result shows that moisture content decreased as the ripening increased under all treatments before treatment (at day-1) was 86, 86, 86, 85 and 85% in fruits treated with CaCl2 concentrations of 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0%, respectively and it was significantly reduced to 82, 84, 82, 83 and 82% at ripening (day 18) in fruits treated with post harvest CaCl2 concentrations of 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0% respectively. The protein content of CaCl2 treated fruits was 0.8. 0.6. 0.6. 0.6 and 0.6% at concentrations 0. 2.5. 5.0. 7.5 and 10.0% respectively, while it was reduced to 0.2. 0.5. 0.5. 0.5 and 0.5%, respectively at ripening (day 18). Fat content in CaCl2 treated fruits (at day-1) was 0.07, 0.08. 0.07. 0 10 and 0.06% which was significantly (P less than 0.01) increased to 0.2. 0.5 0.5 0.4 and 0.3% in ripe fruits (at day 18) with post harvest application of CaCl2 at 0. 2.5. 5.0. 7.5 and 10.0% concentration, respectively. Similarly, ash content at day-1 was 0.33. 0.33, 0.31 0.34 and 0.33%. which was 0.34 0.33, 0.32. 0.33 and 0.32 % at day-18 (at ripening) with post harvest application of CaCl2 at 0. 2.5. 5.0. 7.5 and 10.0%, respectively. Total soluble solids content at CaCl2 levels (at day-1) 0. 2.5, 5.0. 7.5 and 10.0% was 16.17, 15.60, 15.30, 10.13 and 10.16 %. which was (at day-18) 17.4, 17.76, 17.80. 17.56 and 17.53% with post harvest application of CaCl2 at 0. 2.5. 5.0. 7.5 and 10.0%. respectively. Likewise the total sugars (at day-1) were 10.16, 10.13. 10.13, 10.13 and 10.16% in fruits treated with CaCl2 at 0, 2.5. 5.0. 7.5 and 10.0% concentrations which were increased 14.17. 16.56. 16.57. 16.57 and 16.16% at ripening (day 18) respectively. In case of sucrose content, at day-1 it was 0.88; 0.74, 0.75; 0.75 and 0.76% which remarkably increased to 1.02 1.60. 1.46, 1.46 and 1.43% at day-18 with post harvest application of CaCl2 at 0. 2.5. 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0% respectively. It was observed that moisture content (at day-1) was 86, 86. 86. 84 and 84% in fruits treated with CaS04 concentrations of 0. 2.5. 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0% which was reduced to 82, 81, 82, 81 and 82%, respectively at ripening (day 18). Protein content (at day-1) was 0.80, 0.66, 0.56, 0.53 and 0.66% which reduced to 0.20. 0.46. 0.50. 0.46 and 0.46% at ripening (day 18) with post harvest application of CaS04 at 0. 2.5. 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0% concentration, respectively. The fat content at day-1 was 0.07. 0.10. 0.07. 0.27 and 0.12%, which increased to 0.2. 0.36. 0.36. 0.30 and 0.36% (at day 18) with post harvest application of CaS04 at 0. 2.5. 5.0. 7.5 and 10.0% concentration, respectively. Similarly, the ash content at day-1 was 0.33, 0.30, 0.30, 0.32 and 0.29%, which at day-18 was 0.34, 0.33, 0.33, 0.33 and 0.34% with post harvest application of CaS04 at 0. 2.5. 5.0. 7.5 and 10.0 % respectively. Total soluble solids content at day-1 were 16.17. 15.28 15.46. 10.29 and 15.30% which increased to 17.4. 20.07. 20.12. 20.43. and 20.16% with post harvest application of CaSO4 at 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0%, respectively. Moreover, total sugars before treatment (at day-1) was 10.16. 10.06. 10.30. 10.29 and 10.09% which increased significantly (P less than 0.01) to the level of 14.17. 16.50. 16.77. 16.49 and 16.81% at ripening (day 18) in fruits treated with post harvest CaSO4 concentrations of 0, 2.5. 5.0. 7.5 and 10.0% respectively. The sucrose content which was 0.88 0.74. 0.75. 0.73 and 0.75%, increased significantly (day-1 to day-18) to 1.02, 1.50, 1.43, 1.36 and 1.33% with post harvest application of CaSO4 at 0, 2.5, 5.0. 7.5 and 10.0%, respectively. At complete ripening the weight loss was 9.93, 6.94, 7.51 and 7.70%, in fruits receiving post harvest treatment with 2.5, 5.00, 7.50 and 10.0% CaSO4 concentration, respectively. At complete ripening the weight loss was 7.74, 6.58: 6.65; 7.62 and 9.27 % in fruits receiving post harvest treatment with 0, 2.5, 5.00, 7.50 and 10.0% CaC12 concentration. Comparing the effect of CaSO4 with CaCl2, it was observed that the skin colour of the fruit showed that at the CaSO4 concentration of 2.5 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0%, the rating of fruit skin colour was 6.2. 6.6. 7.8 and 5.2 that showed a quality range of "good" to "very good" (5.4-7.8). Fruits treated with CaCl2 concentration of 7.5% had "excellent" (8.6) skin shriveling, followed by 10.0%, 5.00 and 2.5% having quality values of 7.2, 6.8 and 6.6 indicating "very good" quality rating. On the other hand fruits treated with CaSO4 concentrations of 7.5% had "excellent" (8.6) skin shriveling and with 5.00, 2.5% and 10.00 CaSO4 concentrations had quality ratings of 66, 6.2 and 5.2 denoting "very good" skin shriveling quality. Analysis for fruit aroma suggested that against 3.6 rating (fair) of untreated mango, CaCl2 treated fruits at 7.5% concentration had 7.8 rating (Very good) for fruit aroma, followed by 7.2 (very good): 6.6 (very good), 6.6 (very good) quality ratings for fruit aroma, with CaCl2 at the concentrations of 10.0, 5.0 and 2.5%, respectively. The fruits treated with CaSO4 at the concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.5% had aroma ratings 6.6, 6.0. 7.2 and 5.6 denoting as "very good", "good", "very good" and "good", respectively. Against 3.4 rating (fair) of untreated mango, CaCl2 treated fruits at 7.5% concentration had 8.8 rating (excellent) for pulp colour, followed by 7.2 (very good), 6.4 (very good), 5.4 (good) quality ratings for pulp colour, recorded with CaCl2 at the concentrations of 5.0, 10,0 and 2.5% respectively. The CaSO4 treatment at the concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.5% had pulp ratings 5.4, 6.4, 4.8 and 5.4 indicating pulp qualities as "good", "very good" and "fair", respectively. CaCl2 treated fruits at 7.5% concentration had 9.2 rating (excellent) for flavour/ taste, followed by 7.2 (very good), 6.6 (very good) and 6.6 (good) quality ratings for flavour /taste, recorded in fruits with CaCl2 at the concentrations of 10.0, 5.0 and 2.5%, respectively. The CaSO4 at the concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.5% had taste ratings of 5.4, 6.0, 4.6 and 5.8 indicating flavour/tastes as "good", "good" and "fair", respectively. Fruits received post harvest treatment of CaSO4 at 2.5. 5.0. 7.50 and 10.0% concentration had average shelf life of 2-3. 3-4 3-4 and 3-4 days, respectively, over control (2-3 days). It was observed that the maximum shelf life on average was recorded (10-11 days) when the fruits were treated with 7.5 % CaCl2 concentration. The shelf life was of the fruits was considerably increased when ripe mangoes of variety Sindhri were stored in cold storage. The shelf life was relatively greater (8-9 days) in fruits received post harvest treatment of CaSO4 at 7.5% concentration. The post treatment of CaC12 as a ripening agent at 7.5% concentration was quite better than CaSO4 at 2.5 and 5.0, 7.5 and 10% concentration. The physico chemical properties, Physiological weight loss, Sensory analysis and shelf life of Sindhri mango results were better with CaCl2 than CaSO4 salts. The storage condition was also improved with CaCl2 as compared to CaSO4.The shelf life of ripe mangoes was prolonged in cold storage as compared to shelf life obtained under room temperature.