Abstract

GOMEZ-JAIMES, Rafael et al. Evaluation of refrigerated sapote mamey [Pouteria sapota (Jacq.) H.E. Moore and Stearn] quality and incidence of fungi. Agrociencia [online]. 2009, vol.43, n.1, pp.37-48. ISSN 2521-9766.

The low technology production of sapote mamey [Pouteria sapota (Jacq.) H.E. Moore and Stearn] makes it necessary to implement new alternatives, such as low storage temperatures, for postharvest management to prolong shelf life and preserve fruit quality. The effect of storage temperatures on quality of fruits harvested at physiological maturity was studied. Control fruits were stored (7 d) at room temperature (approximately 25 °C), and experimental fruits were stored at 10, 13, and 15 °C for 13, 18, and 24 d. After storage, the fruits were evaluated at room temperature on days 0, 3, and 6. The best cold storage temperature for mamey fruits was 13 °C; fruits exhibited firmness, color [L* (luminosity), color saturation index (chroma), and hue angle)], total soluble solids (°Brix) and acidity, as well as weight loss, similar to those of the control fruits at eating ripeness. At 13 °C, 10 % fruit rot occurred at 18 d, and 10 to 30 % at 24 days. At 15 °C, fruits began senescence after 13 d of storage and exhibited the most rotting. Fruits exposed to 10 °C storage did not ripen, and there were no changes in firmness, total soluble solids or pulp color. Based on their morphological and molecular characteristics, the fungi that induced rotting in fruits were identified as Pestalotiopsis paeoniicola and Lasiodiplodia theobromae.

Keywords : Storage; quality; fungi; ripening; rot.

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