Conserving three morphotypes of cocona fruits (Solanum sessiliflorum Dunal) through wax coating and low temperature storage
N.M. Orjuela-Baquero, R.O. Díaz, M.S. Hernández, J.P. Fernández-Trujillo
Acta Horticulturae 1016: 141-146.
2014
บทคัดย่อ
Cocona is an Amazonian fruit with applications in the agri-food, cosmetic and nutraceutical industries. To preserve cocona quality, some postharvest-decay delaying treatments were evaluated. Cold temperature + waxing treatments were assessed in three morphotypes (small-rounded, elliptical and giant) that were collected in the mature state (yellow color on 75% of total fruit surface) in the Guaviare Department, Colombia. A Hortitec® wax (water solution 1:3 v/v) was applied and air dried. Fruits were stored at low temperatures (10±2°C at 85% relative humidity RH) and at room temperature for the control (20±2°C at 75% RH). CO2 and ethylene emission, weight loss and color were tracked every two days for two weeks. Low temperatures delayed cocona senescence by up to 2 to 4 times as compared with room temperature, combined with respiratory and weight loss reduction for the three morphotypes. The small-rounded morphotype was the most sensitive to quality losses and exhibited a higher daily fresh weight loss rate while color didn´t exhibit differences between treatments. Hortitec® coating didn’t improve storage performance of cocona fruits. CO2 production and an undetectable ethylene emission suggest a non-typical behavior of cocona for at least two of the morphotypes. The small-rounded morphotype showed an slight climacteric pattern that was not accompanied by a peak of ethylene production or color changes. Low temperature storage is a feasible treatment if scaled to the local conditions of the Colombian Amazon region, which could improve cocona marketability.