EFFECT OF POSTHARVEST FUNGICIDAL APPLICATION ON DEVELOPMENT OF CAROTENOID PIGMENTS IN KESAR MANGO FRUITS

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of postharvest fungicidal application on carotenoid development of Kesar mango fruits during storage period. For this purpose, fully matured Kesar mango fruits were subjected to the various treatments of waxol (6%l, waxol (6%) coupled with carbendazim (0.1%) and captan (0.2%). These treated and untreated fruits lot (as control) were kept for storage at room temperature (24.l8-30.57°C temp. with 47.50–74.00% RHl, cool chamber (21.36–23.l5°C temperature with 87.00–91.50% RH) and in cool storage (10°C temperature with 90.0–95.0% RH). It was observed that the fruits treated with waxol (6%) and either carbendazim (0.1.%) or captan (0.2%) successfully controlled the postharvest diseases of mango fruits. However, besides this, these fungicides were found to be beneficial in delaying the ripening process of mango fruits by slow development of carotenoid pigments.