EFFECT OF POSTHARVEST TREATMENTS ON PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND SHELF LIFE OF TOMATO (LYCOPERSICON ESCULENTUM MILL.) FRUITS DURING STORAGE

The physicochemical characteristics and shelf life of tomato fruits treated with Gibberellic acid (0.1, 0.3 and 0.5%), Calcium chloride (0.5, 1 and 1.5%) and Salicylic acid (0.1, 0.2 and 0.4mM) were studied. All tested treatments indicated a significant delay in the change of weight loss, titrable acidity, total soluble solids, decaying percentage, sugar accumulation, chlorophyll degradation and carotenoids accumulation in tomato fruits of experimental set than that of the control set. Moreover, the physicochemical analysis of tomato fruits of experimental set revealed that it also contain higher amount of ascorbic acid and phenolic content. The significant impact of treatment is found on the least decay percentage in the order of fruits treated with GA 0.1%, CaCl 1.5% and SA 0.4mM. Hence, it could be concluded that post harvest chemical treatment with 32 GA , CaCl and SA has the potential to control decaying incidence, prolong the storage life and preserve 32 valuable attributes of post harvest tomato, presumably because of its effect on inhibition of ripening and senescence processes.