A. Rijal, A.K. Shrestha, D.M. Gautam, A.R. Devkota and U. Timilsina
Department of Horticulture, Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal
Corresponding author: anu.rij013@gmail.com
Received on: 25-5-2017, revised on: 29-7-2017, accepted on: 5-8-217

DOI

ABSTRACT

An experiment was carried out to assess the effect of different concentration of essential oils on
postharvest quality of mandarin. The various essential oils used were ; lemongrass (Cymbopogan citrates)
oil, mint (Mentha arvensis) oil, cinnamomum (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) oil and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus
globulus) oil, each @ 0.5 % , @ 1% and @ 2 % concentration and the fungicide used was Diathane M-45
@ 0.2 % concentration. The experiment was conducted in ambient room condition at Regional
Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Lumle Kaski, Nepal in January 2016. Fully ripened mandarin
fruits harvested from Raangkhola, Syangja were transported to RARS, Lumle and store at room
conditions. The temperature and relative humidity was 112⁰C and 56-87 % respectively. Minimum
physiological loss in weight (7.16 %) and decay loss (16.66 %) was observed in the fruits treated with
Eucalyptus oil @ 2 % Maximum firmness (3.86 kg/) was recorded in the fruits treated with lemongrass
oil @ 0.5 % followed by the fruits treated with mint oil @ 2 %. The highest TSS (12.13⁰Brix) was
recorded in the untreated fruits. The highest vitamin c content (29.76 mg/100 ml) was obtained in fruits
treated with Eucalyptus oil @ 2 %. The highest titratable acidity (0.97 %) was recorded in fruits treated
with Cinnamomum oil @ 2 %followed by Eucalyptus oil @ 2 %. The minimum decrease in juice
recovery percentage (39.90 %) during the storage was observed in the fruits treated with Cinnamomum
oil @ 2 %. It can be concluded that application of Cinnamomum oil @ 2 % and Eucalyptus oil @ 2 %
gave the better postharvest retention of mandarin orange.