Postharvest diseases and physicochemical characteristics of mango

Abstract

The objective of this work was to identify and to quantify the postharvest diseases and to evaluate the physical and chemical characteristics of mango fruits cvs. Haden, Tommy Atkins, Palmer and Keitt, submitted or not to the treatment with the fungicide carbendazim. The fruits had been harvested in a commercial orchard in President Prudente-SP, individualized and kept in a humid chamber for 24h, remaining eight days at 25±2ºC and 70-80% RH. The incidence of diseases, the firmness and the loss of mass were evaluated periodically, during nine days. Before and to the end of the storage, the fruits had been characterized to titratable acidity and soluble solids content. There was high occurrence of rots in the four mango cultivars. Anthracnose was the most frequent disease, with practically 100% of incidence in the fruits. The Lasiodiplodia stem-end rot had greater incidence in cv. Tommy Atkins (68%), followed for the Haden (36%). The treatment with carbendazim presented changeable efficiency in the control of the rots, in function of mango cultivar. This treatment is recommended for the control of the stem-end in cvs. Haden and Palmer and also to reduce the severity of anthracnose in cvs. Haden and Keitt. The fungicide application did not influence soluble solids and titratable acidity content and ratio of mango cultivars, except in Palmer that presented minor ratio when treated with fungicide. The ethefon application did not influence the ripening process of mango cv. Haden.