QUALITY AND CONSERVATION OF MANGO CV. ‘TOMMY ATKINS’ AS AFFECTED BY MATURITY STAGE AND STORAGE TEMPERATURE

The experiment was carried out to study the influence of maturity stage and storage temperature on postharvest life of mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv. Tommy Atkins at Petrolina, Pernambuco State, Brazil. Fruits were harvested from a commercial orchard at stages 2 and 3, according to shape and colour. Pulp color, firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), total titratable acidity (TTA), and TSS/TTA ratio were evaluated. Fruits were submitted to the postharvest treatment required for export and stored at 6:7 and 8°C and 67 ± 5% relative humidity (RH). Samples were taken for quality analysis after 18 days. The remaining fruits were stored at room temperature for three days and then analysed the same way. The results show that mangoes harvested at stage 3 stored for 18 days at 8°C and 67 ± 5% RH developed best quality during ripening at room temperature and did not show any symptom of chilling injury.