Effects of cultivar and harvest maturity on ripening of mangoes during storage

Abstract

Low-temperature storage trials were undertaken with mango cultivars grown in Senegal. Three cultivars were studied in detail: Amelie, Kent and Sensation. The fruit were harvested at various physiological maturities and stored at 12°C for periods up to 21 days. The response to storage at 12°C was dependent on cultivar, fruit maturity at harvest and also on the date during the season on which a particular harvest was taken. The most apparent effect of fruit maturity on subsequent storage behaviour was observed in ‘Amelie’. Ripening was retarded more effectively in immature than in mature fruit. ‘Kent’ showed similar effects of fruit maturity on storage behaviour and when mature fruit harvested on different dates during the mango season were compared it became apparent that the extent of ripening in storage increased as the harvesting season progressed. ‘Sensation’ mangoes ripened rapidly in store irrespective of fruit maturity at harvest.