Effect of pre-harvest foliar application of micro nutrients and various storage conditions on shelf life of peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch)

Present investigation were carried out on Shan-e- Punjab cultivar of peach (Prunus persica L.) to assess the effect of pre harvest application of calcium nitrate, silver nitrate and zinc sulphate on various storage conditions during 2015-2016. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with ten treatments consisting of foliar spray of calcium nitrate (1.0 %, 1.5 %, 2.0 %), silver nitrate (0.005 %, 0.010 %, 0.015%), zinc sulphate (0.25 %, 0.5%, 0.75%) and control (water spray) replicated thrice. The foliar application of nutrients applied at different concentrations of calcium nitrate and zinc sulphate neutralized with lime was sprayed twice i.e. immediately after petal fall stage and two weeks before harvest, whereas silver nitrate was sprayed first five weeks before harvest and second three weeks after first spray. Fruits were harvest at maturity stage, some fruits are packed in LDPE polybags having diameter 0.3 mm were stored under refrigerator conditions (3+-20 C and 85-95% RH) for 18 days followed by stored under ambient conditions for 6 days. On the other hand unpacked fruits were also stored under refrigerator conditions for 9 days and under ambient conditions for 3 days. Fruits treated with 2.0% calcium nitrate and packed in polybags effectively reduced physiological loss in weight (6.72%), decay loss (52.14%) and increase TSS content(13.16 0B) up to 18 days under refrigerate condition.

Author(s): Mitali Goutam*, Kiran Kour, Parshant Bakshi, Sarabdeep Kour, M.Iqbal Jeelani

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