Post Harvest Management of Horticultural Crops

Regulation of the Ripening

During ripening an inedible mature fruit will turn into edible soft fruit with optimum taste and characteristic flavour. Fruits start ripening after reaching maturity by release of a ripening hormone known as ethylene from the fruit. All fruits especially climacteric fruits produce small amounts of ethylene during ripening that triggers ripening changes. During this ripening process fruits attain their desirable colour, flavour, quality and other textural properties. A series of metabolic activities like increase in respiration rate of fruits, conversion of starch to sugars, reduction in acidity, removal of astringency or tart taste, softening of the fruit, development of characteristic aroma, surface colour and pulp colour occur during ripening. However, in some fruits like grapes, litchi, pineapple, strawberry, plum, which are harvested at ready to eat stage, these changes are not significant.

Control/Delay of ripening

Manipulating the ripening is important in extending the shelf life and ensuring appropriate quality of fruit to the consumer. Unpredictable ripening during storage, transport and distribution can result in spoilage before consumption. The ripening hormone, ethylene is known to trigger ripening in climacteric fruit and senescence in non-climacteric. The risks of accidental exposure to ethylene can be minimized by reducing ethylene concentrations in the storage environment with practices such as oxidation by potassium permanganate, or ultraviolet light. However, these systems, while being effective for certain commodities, have limited commercial application. Recent development of new chemicals like 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) provides a new approach for manipulation of ripening and senescence.



1-MCP (1-methylcyclopropene): The 1- methylcyclopropene (1-MCP or C4H6) is an ethylene action inhibitor. It binds with ethylene receptors and thereby prevents ethylene dependent responses in many horticultural commodities. 1-MCP has been formulated into a powder that releases its active ingredient when mixed with water. This nontoxic compound can be used at very low concentrations (nL L-1). The beneficial effects of 1-MCP in fresh produce include the inhibition of respiration and ethylene production, delayed fruit softening, restricted skin color changes, prolonged cold storage life and alleviation of certain ethylene-induced post harvest physiological disorders. 1-MCP treatment is also useful in reducing chilling injury symptoms and decay in tropical fruit during cold storage


Enhancing ripening

The ripening process of fruits can start when the fruits are still on the tree if left un-harvested. However, once ripe, handling and marketing of fruit will become difficult. Hence, majority of fruits like mango, banana, papaya, sapota, guava and custard apple are harvested in a mature but unripe condition. They are subsequently allowed to ripen by natural release of ethylene from the fruit. But natural ripening is a slow process leading to high weight loss and desiccation of fruits and some times results in uneven ripening in some fruits. Hence, ethylene is externally applied to enhance the ripening process of fruits. Fruits ripened with ethylene will develop better colour, taste and have all the qualities almost near to naturally ripened fruits.