Effect of postharvest treatment with putrescine and nitric oxide on some quality attributes of mango fruit

Mango is a perishable tropical fruit with a short shelf-life. Recently, using natural compounds that are safe for human and environment have gained more attention in postharvest researches. In order to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of putrescin and nitric oxide, as natural compounds, on mango fruit postharvest life, a factorial experiment was conducted based on a completely randomized design with three replications. Mango fruit were harvested from a garden in Minab city and transferred to laboratory. Fruits were immersed for 5 min in solutions of putrescine (at 0.5, 1.5, 3, 5 mM/L) and nitric oxide (at 3,9,12 µM/L), and then stored at ambient temperature for 21 days. Fruit quality attributes were evaluated at 7 days intervals. According to the results, the highest weight loss (15.5) was observed in control fruit. Fruit firmness was gradually reduced during storage, but it was slower in fruit treated with putrescine and nitric oxide. The highest tissue firmness (2.2 kg/m2) was observed in fruit treated with 3 mM/L putrescine, showing a significant difference with the control. Total soluble solids and the ratio of sugar to acidity were gradually increased during storage. The treated fruits had a lower sugar to acid ratio than the control fruit. Putrescine and nitric oxide significantly affected different color indices. The highest L* value was recorded in fruit treated with putrescine at 3 mM/L.