Effect of post-harvest treratments on shelf life of ber CV. Gola under cold storage conditions

An experiment was carried out to determine the response of ber (Ziziphus mauritiana L.) cv. Gola to different post-harvest treatments under cold storage conditions. Fruits were treated with lemongrass oil (0.1%), til oil (2%), Aloe vera gel (100%), salicylic acid (1mM), calcium chloride (2%), citric acid (0.5%) and sodium nitroprusside (1mM), and stored at 5±2 °C with 80-85% relative humidity. Storage behaviour was assessed in terms of physiological loss in weight, decay incidence, firmness, colour, sensory quality and biochemical characteristics. Refrigerated storage markedly reduced metabolic activity and quality degradation of fruits. Among the treatments, calcium chloride, salicylic acid and sodium nitroprusside were most effective in minimizing decay and maintaining firmness and acidity, while Aloe vera gel improved colour retention and acceptability. The combined use of post-harvest treatments with cold storage significantly extended the shelf life and improved the quality of ber fruits.