Abstract
The mango fruits remain biologically active even after harvest as they continue respiration, transpiration and other bio-chemical processes. Being highly perishable, the fruit quality deteriorates fast under ambient conditions (30 ± 5 °C and 50 ± 5% RH), rendering them unmarketable within 5-6 days. In order to extend the shelf-life of 'Amrapali' mango fruits, we have treated them with three different concentrations (500, 750 and 1000 ppb) of 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) @ 20 °C and stored at ambient conditions. Among all the treatments, 1000 ppb was found to be an effective in extending shelf-life till twelfth day with minimum physiological loss in weight (19.24%), maximum firmness (10.43 N), highest retention of quality parameters such as soluble solid concentrates (27.88 °B), ascorbic acid (28.49 mg 100 g(-1) FW) and total antioxidant activity (675.41 µmol Trolox g(-1) FW) compared to untreated mango fruits (21.79%, 5.45 N, 23.17 °B, 19.55 mg 100 g(-1) FW and 265.41 µmol Trolox g(-1) FW, respectively). Gene expression studies have revealed that the texture related gene expansin was significantly repressed till fifth day of storage with increasing concentrations of 1-MCP.