Postharvest physiology of papaya

Papaya is one of the most important commercial fruits in many tropical regions of the world. The fruit is a rich source of vitamins, minerals and dietary antioxidants and can be used as afresh or processed fruit. This product is climacteric and has short postharvest life and susceptibilities to physical damage, water loss, chilling injury, diseases and pests. Maintenance of papaya fruit quality depends on orchard management, harvesting practices, packing operations, postharvest treatments, temperature management, and transportation and storage conditions. Harvest maturity in papaya is a critical factor that determines fruit quality, shelf life, storage potential at low temperature, and susceptibility to mechanical injuries and diseases. Postharvest storage life of papaya increases with suitable packaging storage and pre-harvest and post-harvest treatments like heat treatment, calcium, and irradiation. This paper reviewed effective factors in the quality of fruit and post-harvest issues of fruit including biochemical changes and post-harvest diseases as well as appropriate methods to maintain the quality of this product.