Anti-sap chemicals reduce sapburn injury and improve fruit quality in commercial mango cultivars

Sapburn injury of mango fruit is a serious problem as it reduces the cosmetic appeal and downgrade fruit. For the sapburn management in commercial cultivars (cvs) of Pakistan, physiologically mature fruits of cvs Sindhri and Chaunsa were harvested along with 4-5 cm pedicel. Immediately after de-stemming, fruits were treated with one of the potential chemical solutions: calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2], Tween-80, sodium carboximethyl cellulose (CMC), lauryl sulfate sodium (LS), detergents and vegetable oil. The fruits after treatments were air dried and packed in cardboard boxes, transported to the laboratory and stored (14 degree C & RH 85%) for 7 and 14 days in case of cv Sindhri and cv. Chaunsa, respectively. Fruits de- stemmed under calcium hydroxide showed better results against sapburn injury followed by Tween-80 in both the cvs. In the follow-up study, the best chemicals in experiment 1 along with alum were tested on cv. Chaunsa to confirm the results. This time fruits after treatments were subjected to two different storage conditions (25 degree C & RH 56% & 14 degree C & RH 85%). Data on sapburn injury recorded after 24, 48 and 72 h, showed almost similar pattern at both the temperatures. De- stemming under Ca(OH)2 gave 95% sapburn injury control at both temperatures. High TSS levels were observed in fruits de-stemmed under Ca(OH)2 at 25 degree C. At this temperature total sugars were maximum in fruits treated with simple water (30.80%), while in stored fruits, maximum total sugars (26.70%) were noted with alum treatment. Total carotenoids were maximum in fruits de-stemmed under Ca(OH)2, at both storage temperatures. In crux, Ca(OH)2 was the best treatment in reducing sapburn injury and improving fruit quality at both the temperatures.