Effect of ripening temperature on quality and compositional changes of mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv. Kensington.
O'Hare T. J.
Author Affiliation: Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Horticulture Postharvest Group, 19 Hercules Street, Hamilton, Qld 4007, Australia.
Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 35 : 259-263
Abstract : Preclimacteric mango cv. Kensington fruits were treated with ethylene (200 µlitre/litre) for 36 h, then ripened at 13, 18, 22, 24 or 30°C or under 2 day/night temperature regimes (18/24° in 12/12- or 18/6-h cycles). Fruits were assessed for quality (skin colour, pulp colour, eating quality) and compositional changes over the ripening period. Fruits ripened at 18-22° achieved the highest quality scores, with all quality parameters reaching a maximum within about 2 days of each other. Diurnal temperature cycling provided no advantage over constant temperatures. Fruits ripened at 13 or 30° had low skin colour quality scores, related to poor carotenoid development and high chlorophyll retention, respectively. The poor carotenoid development at 13° also resulted in lower pulp colour quality scores. Eating quality was significantly lower at 13 and 30° than at intermediate temperatures, related to the slow decline in titratable acidity and poor flavour, respectively. Quality parameters became unsynchronized at 13 and 30°, with skin colour quality reaching a maximum 5 days earlier than eating quality at 13°, and 3 days later at 30°.