Chemical Changes in Mango (CV.Fazli) as Affected by Fruit Maturity and Condition of Ripening

Abstract

An experiment was carried out at the Department of Horticulture and Department of Biochemistry of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. The objectives of the experiment were to evaluate the pattern of chemical changes associated with ripening and the numbers of days required for full ripening of mango (CV.Fazli) harvested at three maturity stages and preserved under different ripening conditions, viz; control, spread over brown paper, bamboo basket covering with straw, spread on straw and calcium carbide. The fruits were assessed for chemical changes during ripening. Some of the chemical properties such as sugar content (reducing, non-reducing and total), total soluble solid and pH of pulp increased while titratable acidity and vitamin C (ascorbic acid) content decreased with the increase in the duration of ripening. In respect of all chemical parameters, mature fruits kept in bamboo basket covering with straw showed best performance whereas CaC₂ treated fruits showed poorer performance though good colours were developed. The ripening conditions maturity stages showed significant variations in relation to days required for full ripening. Among the treated and untreated mature mango fruits, bamboo basket covering with straw and spread on straw exhibited better ripening performance. Over- mature mango kept in bamboo basket covering with straw required the lowest days for full ripening but at 9th day of ripening some fruits were not in edible conditions whereas mature fruits kept in the same conditions were in edible conditions.