EFFECT OF ETHEPHON AND ETHYLENE GAS ON RIPENING AND QUALITY OF DETACHED WINTER TOMATO

Fruits of a winter tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum L.) hybrid were harvested at mature green stage and a first lot was exposed to ethylene gas (100 ppm) for 24h in a ripening chamber at 20±1°C and the second lot was treated by immersion in a solution of ethephon {(2-chloroethyl) phosphonic acid} at 2 different concentrations (500 and 1000 ppm) and for two different lengths of times (5 and 10 min). The fruits were air dried and placed in plastic crates followed by storage in a ripening chamber at 20±1°C and 90-95% RH. The colour, texture and flavour parameters of fruits from mature green to senescent stage of maturation were analyzed. The most striking effect of treatment was on colour development of fruits. It was found that treatment with ethylene gas (100 ppm) for 24h inside the ripening chamber or immersion in ethephon solution (500 ppm) resulted in better ripening of tomato fruits with uniform red colour, desirable firmness and acceptable quality as compared to other treatments. The length of time of the ethephon dip treatment did not reveal any significant effect on colour development. The fruits in the control showed very poor ripening and were hard in texture with poor quality attributes.