Effect of post harvest treatment with γ-irradiation on storage behaviour of guava (Psidium guajava) fruits

Abstract

An experiment was carried out during 2007–08 at Department of Horticulture, Allahabad Agricultural Institute in collaboration with National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow to see the effect of irradiation on physio-chemical quality and shelf-life of ‘Lalit’ guava (Psidium guajava L.). The treatments comprised 5 doses of γ-irradiation (0, 50, 75, 100, 125 Gy) and 4 levels of Waxol (0, 4, 6, 8%). All the 20 treatment combinations were laid out in a 5 × 4 factorial randomized block design with 3 replications. Observations were recorded at different interval of storage periods, viz 4, 8, 12, 16 days. The treatment combination G3W2 (100 Gy + 6% waxol) was found better in terms of physiological loss in weight, total soluble solid, acidity, ascorbic acid, reducing sugar and total sugar, i e minimum physiological loss in weight (3.44%), highest TSS (8%), lowest acidity (0.13%), highest total sugar (8.46%) and maximum retention of ascorbic acid (148.56 mg/100 g), reducing sugar (4.64%) respectively, followed by G2W2 (75 Gy + 6% waxol), G1W2 (50 Gy + 6% waxol), G4W2 (125 Gy + 6% waxol), G0W2 (0 Gy + 6% waxol) were recorded after 16 days of storage period at ambient temperature. The amount of γ-irradiation used did not have any residual effect.