Effect of botanicals and chemicals on physiochemical parameters and postharvest disease management of mango (Mangifera indica)

Abstract

Mango, one of the popular fruits worldwide, has a very short post-harvest life in ambient temperature. The use of various chemicals and treatments has been observed to prolong the postharvest lifespan of mangoes. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the impact of different treatments on the postharvest longevity and quality of mangoes. The selected mangoes were treated with hot water (50 °C), citronella oil (1000 ppm), mentha oil (1000 ppm), eucalyptus oil (1000 ppm), oxalic acid (5%), and neem extract (20%), and then evaluated. The study was carried out using a completely randomized design (CRD), consisting of seven treatments and three replications. Random samples from each treatment were taken at four days intervals to evaluate total soluble solids, titratable acidity, firmness, pH, weight loss and spoilage loss percentage. Significant differences were noted among the treatments for weight loss (on 4th DAT) and spoilage percentage (on 16th DAT). However, no significant differences were observed among treatments for other parameters. Mentha oil treated mangoes showed minimum weight loss, whereas those treated with neem leaf extract exhibited minimum spoilage percentage. Therefore, they can serve as an effective alternative to chemicals, guiding future research to optimize concentrations, formulations, and synergies with practices like storage and packaging conditions.