Assessment and management of post harvest losses of fresh mango under small-scale business in Morogoro, Tanzania
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Date
2011
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Publisher
JAPS
Abstract
This study was conducted to assess postharvest losses and the effect of shade during
wholesale market and hot water treatments on storage of mango cv. ‘Dodo’. To assess
postharvest losses, mature fruits were packed on semi-rigid bamboo cartons, loaded on a
truck without separators in between cartons and transported from Mkuyuni ward to
Morogoro urban, Tanzania. The effect of heat stress during the wholesale market was
evaluated by storing mango fruits under the sun, woven polypropylene shade and black net
shade at Sokoine University of Agriculture. Mango fruits dipped in hot water at 60° C for 10
minutes were compared with untreated ones as control. Results showed that the fruit total
postharvest losses were 43.8 % with the wholesale market, transport and harvest stages
accounting for 30.6 %, 10.6 and 2.6 % of the total losses, respectively. The main features of
fruit deterioration during the wholesale market stage were softening and microbial decay
each accounting for 50.7 and 39.6 % of the total losses within the stage, respectively.
Microbial decays of 7.2 % and mechanical injuries of 2.0 % were the major features of
mango fruit deterioration during the transport and harvest stages. Storing fruits for three
days under the woven polypropylene and black net shades significantly reduced fruit
postharvest losses by 52.7 and 38 %, respectively in comparison with fruit storage under the
sun. Hot water treatment reduced the incidence of microbial decay by 85 % and improved
fruit total soluble solids content by 15 % in comparison to untreated fruits. However, hot
water treatment reduced fruit firmness and shelflife by 56.0 and 71.4 %, respectively. In the
short term, wholesale traders are advised to store fruits under the polypropylene shade while
in the long term, municipal and council authorities are argued to construct cold storage
facilities for fresh fruits. Furthermore, farmers are advised to disinfect mangoes with hot
water, especially those purported for immediate marketing.
Description
Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences, 2011. Vol. 11, Issue 1: 1358-1363
Keywords
Fruit deterioration, Shade structure, Hot water treatment, Mango