Response of Aonla Fruits Stored in Zero Energy Cool Chamber to Different Post Harvest Chemicals and Packagings Dhumal S. S.1, Karale A.R.2 1Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Kolhapur-416 004 2Department of Horticulture, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri-413 722, M.S., India Abstract Fully matured fruits of aonla cv. Kanchan coated with wax emulsion alone and in combination with post harvest chemicals and packed in different packagings were stored in ZECC to study the effect of storage environment, postharvest chemicals and different packagings on physio-chemical characters and marketability of aonla. The cool chamber was found effective in increasing the shelf life of aonla fruits up to 24 days without much deterioration in the physico-chemical parameters. It also retained the maximum marketability of the fruits. The physico-chemical changes were faster in untreated fruits than the chemically treated fruits and in nylon net bag packed fruits than in perforated PE bags and in ventilated CFB box packed fruits. 6% waxol + 400 ppm CCC treated fruits recorded lowest TSS and sugars, high ascorbic acid content at the end of storage period. The perforated PE bags packaging was found to be the best, in retaining high acidity, ascorbic acid content, per cent moisture and low TSS and sugars in aonla fruits. The shelf-life of aonla fruits was extended up to 24 days in cool chamber when fruits were treated with 6% waxol + 400 ppm CCC and packed in perforated PE bags. This treatment combination recorded higher marketable preference with minimum deterioration of physico-chemical characteristics and can be recommended to extend the shelf-life of aonla fruits. Hence, the zero energy cool chamber could be a possible solution to the problem of storage of aonla fruits in glut season in India. Top Keywords Zero energy cool chamber, waxol, CCC, GA3, CaNO3, aonla. Top |