Effect of hot water treatment and prochloraz on the postharvest quality of 'Carabao' mango

Abstract

‘Carabao’ mango is a top Philippine mango cultivar for export, but it is highly susceptible to postharvest diseases. We evaluated the efficacies of hot water treatment (HWT) and prochloraz fungicide to control postharvest diseases in ‘Carabao’ mangoes. The treatments included HWT alone (52-55°C HWT dip, 5 min + 10 min hydrocooling; 52-55°C HWT dip, 10 min + 10 min hydrocooling; HWT spray 52-55°C, 30 s), fungicide alone (prochloraz spray, 550 µL L‑1, 30 s; ambient prochloraz dip, 550 µL L‑1, 5 min) and the combination of two treatments (52-55°C HWT + 550 µL L‑1 prochloraz, 30 s spray; 52-55°C HWT + 550 µL L‑1 prochloraz, 5 min dip). Hot water treatments resulted in higher weight loss of fruit. It also hastened fruit ripening as indicated by rapid peel color change, increased total soluble solids and fruit softening. Fruit dipped in hot water alone (5 and 10 min), and prochloraz alone for 5 min showed good quality for up to 9 days. Better quality of mango fruit was maintained by heated fungicide for 5 min (HWT, 52-55°C + prochloraz, 550 µL L‑1) resulting in a longer shelf life of up to 20 days. With no symptoms of diseases, this treatment inhibited the development of stem-end rot and anthracnose. Hot water treatment alone controlled stem-end rot, while prochloraz alone showed inhibition of anthracnose. Combining HWT and prochloraz inhibited the development of stem-end rot and anthracnose in ‘Carabao’ mango.