Studies on Variability of Physico-Biochemical Parameters of Mango Fruit

Abstract

More than a thousand varieties of mango (Mangifera indica L.) are grown in India. Their quality attributes not only differed altogether but also depends on their maturity and storage after harvest. An experiment on four mango varieties harvested at pre-, optimum, and over-maturity stages from different orchards was conducted in this study. The effect of varieties and harvest stage, and their interactions on external diameters, arithmetic and geometric mean diameters, sphericity, and aspect ratio was analyzed. Similarly, the change in peel color values, specific gravity, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, and total carotenoids with respect to varieties, harvest stage, and storage periods and their interactions were analyzed statistically. Dimensions, size, weight, volume, aspect ratio, and sphericity varied significantly among the cultivars and were found to be increased significantly from the pre-to-over maturity stage.  Interaction between the harvest stage and cultivars also had a significant (p<0.05) effect on the fruit’s breadth, thickness, size, weight, volume, aspect ratio, and sphericity (except on length). Similarly, specific gravity and peel color values and biochemical attributes were also found to be changed significantly among the cultivars, maturity stages, and storage periods. The effect of their interactions on peel color values and bio-chemical properties was also significant. However, there is an insignificant effect of interactions on the specific gravity of mangoes. Results concluded that most of the physical and biochemical parameters of mangoes were variable and dependent on cultivar type, maturity stage and storage period, and on their interactions. This study, therefore, can be fruitful during the designing of processing equipment and can be helpful in the post-harvest management of mangoes