Impacts of harvesting stages and pre-storage treatments on shelf life and quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Abstract

Post-harvest loss is the greatest impediment, which reduces tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L) production in many developing countries, including Ethiopia. A research was carried out to evaluate the effect of harvesting stages and pre-storage treatments on fruit quality and shelf life of tomato, variety Roma VF. The experiment comprised three levels of harvesting stages (mature green, turning and light red) and eight levels of pre-storage treatments, viz., 500 ppm sodium hypochlorite (NaClO), 8% calcium chloride (CaCl2), 50% cactus mucilage (CM), 500 ppm NaClO+8% CaCl2, 500 ppm NaClO+50% CM, 8% CaCl2 + 50% CM and 500 ppm NaClO+8% CaCl2 + 50% CM. Treatments laid out in 3 × 8 factorial arrangements in a completely randomized design with three replications. Tomato fruits were stored for about 20 days at ambient temperatures, placed on fixed tables. Quality attributes and shelf life parameters were collected at four-day interval during 20 days of storage. The results showed that harvesting stages and pre-storage treatments indicated highly significant (p ≤ 0.01) impacts on quality and shelf life of tomato fruits. Fruits harvested at mature green stage and coated with 50% cactus mucilage significantly retained low percentage of decay (41.67%), highest marketable fruit (50%), low pH (4.25) and highest ascorbic acid (13.4 mg/100 g) during the storage period and it increased the shelf life the fruits by about 10 days as compared to the control. From the results of the study, harvesting tomatoes at mature green stages and coating them with 50% cactus mucilage can be recommended for increasing the shelf life and quality of the tomato fruits.

Keywords

• cactus mucilage
• harvesting stage
• pre-harvest treatments
• quality
• tomato shelf life