Effect of salicylic acid and calcium on the shelf-life of peach cultivars

Abstract

For extending the marketability, a study was carried out on the effect of bio-regulators, viz., salicylic acid and Ca-EDTA on different peach cultivars like FLA-16-33, Flordaking, Canter and Flordasun. The selected fruits were dipped for 10 min. in salicylic acid @ 400 ppm, Ca-EDTA @ 500 ppm and control (distilled water dip). The treated fruits were stored in CFB boxes at ambient temperature (20-22°C having RH 85-90%) for two weeks. During storage, physico-chemical characteristics such as TSS, acidity, ascorbic acid and sugars of different treatments were studied at 3 day intervals. The results revealed that the fruits treated with bio-regulators and calcium had significantly better firmness and low PLW (16.83-25.08%) during storage for 12 days as compared to control (21.28-27.10%) after 9 days. The TSS, acidity, ascorbic acid and sugars in treated peaches remained intact, whereas in untreated fruits, the conversion rate was faster. The treated fruits irrespective of cultivars had a shelf-life of 14 days as compared to 9 days in control. Thus, the shelf-life of the peaches could be increased with better physico-chemical characteristics using bio-regulators like salicylic acid and Ca-EDTA.