Ripening of tomato at different stages of maturity influenced by the post harvest application of ethrel

Abstract

An experiment was carried out at the laboratory of plant physiology section of HRC during the rabi season of 2011-2012 taking tomato (cv. Ratan) fruits of three maturity stages (mature green, breaker and half ripen) and six ethrel levels (control, 125, 250, 500, 1000 and 2000 ppm) to find out the suitable stage of fruit maturity for post harvest application of ethrel and also to determine the optimum dose of ethrel for tomato ripening. The source of ethrel was Prolong (ethrel 40% W/W). The visual color and firmness changes during ripening at 24.5˚C ± 1˚C and 65-70% relative humidity were evaluated. Different maturity stages, ethrel levels and their combinations showed significant variation in different physical and chemical characteristics of tomato studied. The highest value of rotting was shown by half ripen tomatoes. The 1000 and 2000 ppm ethrel gave the maximum rotting irrespective of maturity stages. However, the maximum weight loss and shelf life were found in green mature tomatoes. The shelf life of tomato fruits treated with 250 and 500 ppm was also high level. The percentage of rotting and weight loss was increased with gradual advancement of time. The highest value of weight loss and shelf life was recorded in green mature and breaker stage tomatoes without ethrel and with 250-500 ppm ethrel treatment. The highest value of vitamin-C, TSS and titrable acidity were shown by half ripen and pH by green mature tomatoes at different day of storage. The ethrel concentration. of 250-2000 ppm gave maximum vitamin-C and TSS at different storage time. Mature green and breaker stage tomatoes treated with 250-500 ppm ethrel produced maximum TSS at 9 days of storage. Treatment with 250-2000 ppm ethrel hastened the color changes by 3 days when compared with control fruits both in mature green and breaker stage.