EFFECT OF DIFFERENT POST-HARVEST TREATMENT ON SHELF-LIFE AND QUALITY OF TOMATO (SOLANUM LYCOPERSICUM VAR GAURAV555)
Avishek Paudela, Katapyu Chaulagain, Samikshya Acharya, Sameer Koirala
DOI: 10.26480/bda.01.2025.01.05
ABSTRACT
Shelf life and quality of tomatoes are influenced by fruit senescence, firmness, technology availability, and farmers’ storage practices. Therefore, a lab experiment was conducted to study the effects of different post-harvest treatments on shelf life and quality of tomatoes with seven treatments (1% & 1.5% CaCl2, 0.3% & 0.1% GA3, Aloe Vera extract, Guava leaf extract, and control) in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. Physiological Weight Loss (PWL), Total Soluble Solids (TSS), Firmness, Decay, Shelf Life, and Titrable Acidity (TA) were investigated. Data was collected every three days during the fortnight-long observation of tomato post-harvest behavior during storage. Statistically significant differences were found between the treatments, analyzed using Excel and GenStat 18th edition.
The control showed the greatest rise in PWL percentage (10.617), while 0.3% GA3 acid had the lowest proportion of PWL (8.01). The maximum TSS concentration was recorded in the control (0.322) on day 15, while the lowest TSS concentration (0.1333) was recorded in 0.3% GA3 acid. Treatment with 0.3% GA3 showed the minimum decay loss from day 9 to day 15, whereas the control exhibited the maximum decay. Maximum TA was recorded in 0.1% GA3 (0.2518) on day 15, while the control had the lowest TA (0.1503). The maximum firmness (5.733) was demonstrated by 0.3% GA3 on day 15, whereas the control demonstrated the least firmness (3.467).
Thus, from the results, it can be concluded that post-harvest treatment with 0.3% GA3 has the potential to control decay and prolong the storage life of tomatoes under ambient conditions.
KEYWORDS
Post-harvest, Quality, Shelf life, Tomato, Treatment