Effect of harvesting time and desapping on sapburn and quality in mango (Mangifera indica) cv. Langra

Sapburn is one of the most important problems in mango (Mangifera indica L.) which severely downgrade its quality and reduces its market value. In the present study, two experiments were conducted to study the effect of harvesting time on sap flow quantity; and its control through simple desapping treatment. The sap flow was recorded higher from the mango fruits (cv. Langra) harvested during morning hours. For the second experiment, mature mango fruits were harvested with 8 – 10 cm pedicel attached and treated with aqueous solutions of sodium hydroxide (1% and 2%) and potassium hydroxide (1% and 2%) by immersion method, after removing the pedicel. For control, sap was allowed to flow freely over the fruit surface. During storage of fruit at ambient condition (25±2°C) for 12 days, fruits desapped with 1% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) showed about 11-fold lower sapburn injury than control. Treatment with NaOH did not significantly affect TSS, acidity and carotenoids content in the fruit. However, it maintained significantly higher ascorbic acid, total phenolics content and antioxidant activity than control.