Effect of method of harvesting on storage behaviour of mango

Physiologically mature Dashehari mangoes were hand picked without stalk and by manual harvester with stalk of approx. 100 mm length. Fruits were packed in 5 kg wooden boxes using newspaper as lining material and stored upto 10 days under ambient conditions (35 ± 2°C, 60–65 per cent RH). It was observed that stalks did not cause any bruises as their abscission occurred in ripened fruits after 6 days of storage. The decay loss during storage, particularly due to stem end rot, was minimum in fruits harvested with stalk. The rate of respiration (mg CO2/kg/h) at harvest was less in fruits having stalk. Total soluble solids did not differ much while reduction in acidity and development of total carotenoids were slower in the fruits harvested with stalk. In all, the fruits with stalk had 2–3 days more shelf life with minimum decay loss and higher marketability.