Effect of packaging materials on physiological parameters of Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk.) cultivars Thai Apple and Gola

Abstract

An experiment was conducted in Post-harvest Laboratory of the Department of Horticulture, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar to find the effect of packaging materials viz., corrugated fibre board boxes, sealed polyethylene bags, perforated polyethylene bags, polynet and control on physiological parameters of ber cultivars Thai Apple and Gola stored at room temperature during February month of 2018. The data were recorded on moisture content, physiological loss in weight, decay loss, fruit firmness and specific gravity during storage. The results reveal that the ber fruits of Thai Apple packed in sealed poly bags exhibited minimum physiological in weight, maximum specific gravity and retained maximum moisture %, while the fruits of Thai Apple cultivar packed in corrugated fiber board boxes retained more fruit firmness as compared to the fruits packed in other packaging materials and also to the fruits of Gola cultivar at the end of storage period. The fruits of Gola cultivar packed in corrugated fibre board boxes exhibited minimum decay loss than the fruits packed in other packaging materials and also to the fruits of Thai Apple cultivar at the end of storage period. The results of the present study conclude that the corrugated fiber board boxes were found best for reducing decay loss of Gola cultivar ber fruits up to eight days of storage under ambient room temperature conditions.