Effect of Postharvest Application of Plant Extracts on Physical Parameters and Shelf Life of Guava

Abstract

The use of various chemicals and waxing material during the preharvest and postharvest stages is becoming popular among growers in recent years to enhance the shelf life of fruits. However, the use of these substances have their own limitations, as some of them are believed to be ecologically unsafe and economically unviable, besides leaving their residue on the fruit surface, which may have adverse effect on human health. The main objective of this work was to assess the effectiveness of plant extracts on physical properties of fruits and reducing the occurrence of spoilage. Fruits of guava were dipped for 10 minutes in aqueous extracts (10% and 20%) of neem, chinaberry, and marigold, surface dried, and packaged in newspaper and gunny bags for storage at room temperature. Analysis of fruits was done at harvest and then on 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th day after treatments. On 8th day the highest spoilage per cent and decrease in physical parameters was recorded in control. As the storage period advanced, there was further increase in spoilage per cent and on 16th day it was lowest in treatment with neem (20%) and wrapping newspaper. In this treatment, color and fl avor of fruit were acceptable up to 16th day whereas in control acceptability lasted up to 8th day of storage. The statistical results of the study indicated that coating of leaf extracts and storage period signifi cantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected all traits.