Evaluation the Effects of Calcium Treatments on Postharvest Life of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv.)

Due to high perishability of tomato, it cannot be stored for long duration but by means of postharvest technologies somewhat can control their decay. Calcium as an essential plant nutrient actively participates in cell wall structure. The current experiment was conducted to find the effect of calcium on postharvest life of tomato fruit cv. "Dafnis". The experiment was conducted to asses the shelf life of tomato using treatments of calcium choloride (%1, %1.5, %2) and calcium ascorbate (%0.25, %0.5, %1). After treatment, the fruits were presereved at an incubator with 10 °C and 90% humidity for 35 days. After that the fruits were gotten out each 7 days and were assesed to determine parameters such as titratable acid, pH, soluble solids, vitamin C, firmness, weight loss and lycopene content. experiments was performed as a factorial in a complete randomized design with three replications. The results showed that calcium treatments, had a significant effects on all measured indexes. The lowest lycopene content was recorded at the %1 calcium ascorbate and except with %2 calcium choloride it to had significant difference to other treatments. The lowest pH, soluble solids, the highest titratable acid and vitamin C in the %1 calcium ascorbate and except with %2 calcium choloride it to had significant difference to other treatments.. According to the result of this study, treated fruits with %1 calcium ascorbate and 2% calcium choloride cause maintain fruit quality properties during storage period.