Impact of Packaging Materials and Different Chemicals on Storage and Shelf Life of Pear CV. Punjab Beauty

Abstract

The present investigations entitled Impact of packaging materials and different chemicals on storage and shelf life of pear cv. Punjab Beauty were carried out in the laboratory of Department of Horticulture Khalsa College, Amritsar during the year 2017-18. The fruits were harvested from healthy trees of a well maintained Govt. Orchard and Nursery, Attari Distt, Amritsar. The study comprised of seven treatments as CaCl 2 (2.5, 3.5 and 7.5%), GA 3 ( 25, 40 and 50ppm) and control. 2 Kg of fruits were selected for laboratory analysis for each treatment and these fruits were dipped for a period of five minutes in different concentrations of CaCl 2and GA 3 , however, fruits were dipped in plain water under control. Then the fruits were packed in Corrugated fibre boxes and wooden boxes and kept under cold storage. The fruits from each treatment were analysed for physico-chemical characteristics after 0, 20, 40 and 60 days of cold storage period. The results revealed that CaCl2 - 7.5 per cent (T3) was found to be significant in prolonging the shelf life of soft pear fruits than all other treatments. The fruits under treatment T3 maintained the marketable acceptability upto 40 days of storage under CFB by retaining the fruit firmness, reducing PLW and spoilage losses than control.