Kalika Prasad Upadhyay* , Shyam Prasad Poudel, Chandrakanta Timilsina and Resham Bahadur Basnet
Directorate of Agricultural Research, Lumle, Kaski, Nepal
*Corresponding author's email: kalikaupadhyay@yahoo.com

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to assess quality parameters and post-harvest losses of a plum variety 'Methley' in ambient and refrigerated condition in cool environment of Lumle, Nepal during June-July in 2022. The fruits were harvested at mature green stage, turning red stage and dark red stage. Ten uniform-sized fruits were selected from each stage, kept in small plastic crates and stored in both conditions separately. The experiment was set to an RCBD with 7 replications and 3 treatments in both conditions. Observations were recorded for 14 days in ambient condition and 28 days in refrigerated condition. The results revealed that the fruit stages differed for total soluble solids, titratable acidity and juice content at harvesting. Before storage, TSS for mature green, turning red and dark red stages ranged 8.2-8.4, 10.1-10.3 and 12-12.3-0Brix respectively; while it was 11.2, 12.8 and 12.70Brix respectively after storage in ambient condition and 11.4, 11.9 and 12.80Brix respectively after storage in refrigerated condition. Titratable acidity for mature green, turning red and dark red stages ranged 1.83-1.92, 0.95-0.98- and 0.6- 0.65 percent respectively before storage while it was 0.62, 0.49 and 0.4 percent respectively after storage in ambient condition and 1.10, 0.75 and 0.50 percent respectively after storage in refrigerated condition. Refrigerated (5.6- 8.20C/59 - 65% RH) fruits had minimum weight loss (3.62% in 28th days of data recording) while in ambient condition (12.9 -23.80C/ 49-60 % RH) the loss was 34.5%. The fruit stages were significantly different for postharvest loss indicating the mature green stage fruits had the minimum loss and the longest post-harvest life. These results showed an indication of possibility of early harvesting (8.2-8.40Brix TSS and 1.83-1.92 percent TA) to enhance post-harvest life with minimum loss of fruits.