Effects of CaCl2 Concentration and Spraying Time on Quality, Mineral Composition and Shelf Life of Apricot Fruit cv. Jahangiri

In this study, effect of CaCl2 treatment and spraying time were studied on quality, mineral composition and shelf life of apricot (Prunus armeniaca cv. ‘Jahangiri’). The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with seven treatments at the experimental orchard of Horticultural Research Station of Kamalabad in Alborz (Karaj) province, Iran, during two years (2010 and 2011). Treatments were control tress (spraying with distilled water) and two concentrations of calcium chloride (0.5 and 1%), in three time (30, 38 and 46 days after full bloom). Fruits were stored at 0°C with 93 to 95% relative humidity. Fresh weight and dry weight, flesh fruit firmness, fruit volume, pH, total soluble solid (TSS), mineral concentration (Ca, Mg, N, K and P) were measured five times (at harvest time, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th week of shelf life). Also, fruit wet weight loss was recorded at week 4 and compared with the fruit weight at harvesting. The results indicated that pre-harvest calcium chloride spraying of fruits had significant effect on all of studied parameters. Spraying with different concentrations of calcium chloride increased shelf life of apricot until 10 days with maintaining of quality. The best spraying time for increasing of fruit quality can be applied between 1 and 1.5 months after full bloom.