EFFECT OF HARVESTING SEASON AND POSTHARVEST TREATMENTS ON STORAGE LIFE OF MEXICAN LIMES (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle)

ABSTRACT Changes in susceptibility to chilling of citrus fruits vary with the low temperature applied, storage period, growing area, season, time of harvest and postharvest treatments. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of low temperatures on the quality of Mexican limes coated with wax applied through spraying or dipping, and treated with thiabendazole (TBZ) at 500 ppm and gibberellic acid (GA3) at 250 ppm. Weight loss, % of juice, degrees Brix, titratable acidity, color development and severity of chilling injury were examined weekly during storage. The results, obtained from fruit collected in two harvest periods, demonstrated that limes during the maximum production period of harvest in July, in contrast to those harvested in September, retained 90.6% of their fruit marketability. The conditions under which the best quality was obtained were the following: waxing by dipping + TBZ at 500 ppm + GA3 at 250 ppm and 10C storage temperature with RH at 85–90%.