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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #109594
Title: REDUCTION OF LOW TEMPERATURE INJURY AND ENHANCEMENT OF COLOR DEVELOPMENT IN'KENT' MANGOS WITH METHYL JASMONATE.

Author
item GONZALEZ-AGUILAR,, G. - CIAD, HERMOSILLO, MEXICO
item Buta, Joseph - George
item Wang, Chien

Submitted to: Postharvest Biology and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/22/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Mango fruit are very susceptible to chilling injury when kept at temperatures lower than 12 degrees C. However, at higher temperatures, they are susceptible to decay. We found that methyl jasmonate (MJ) vapor prevented the development of chilling injury symptoms in mango fruit even when stored at 5 degrees C. Decay was also reduced during subsequent shelf life storage, and red and yellow color development was also enhanced by the methyl jasmonate vapor treatment. The MJ-treated fruit maintained higher sugar, organic acid and total soluble solid levels during shelf life storage. These findings will provide the importer of mango fruit with a means of maintaining market quality while decreasing losses due to chilling injury and decay by using MJ, which is a biologically safe, naturally-occurring compound and is effective at very low concentrations.

Technical Abstract: Treatment of mango (Mangifera indica cv 'Kent') with methyl jasmonate (MJ) vapor for 20 hours at 20 degrees C was effective in reducing chilling injury (CI) symptoms and decay, and enhancing skin color development. MJ (10 to the minus 4) was the most effective concentration for reducing CI and decay in fruit stored at 5 degrees C followed by 7 days at 20 degrees C C(shelf life period). The use of 10 to the minus 5 MJ enhanced yellow and red color development of mango kept at 20 degrees C. These fruit possessed higher L*, a* and b* values than controls and those treated with 10 to the minus 4 MJ. Ripening processes were inhibited by cold storage in control fruits. After cold storage (5 degrees C) and the shelf life period, fruit treated with 10 to the minus 5 MJ fruit ripened normally and contained the highest total soluble solids (TSS). These fruit maintained higher sugar and organic acid levels than those in other treatments. We concluded that MJ treatment could be used to reduce decay and CI symptoms, and also to improve color development of mango fruit without adversely affecting quality.