EFFECT OF SOME PRE AND POSTHARVEST TREATMENTS ON STORABILITY OF STRAWBERRY FRUITS

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out during the winter seasons of 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 at a private farm located at Tokh district, Qalyubia Governorate and laboratory of Handling of Vegetable Crops Research Department, Horticulture Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, to study the effect of foliar spray with potassium silicate and Jasmine oil at different concentrations on vegetative growth, yield and its components, fruit quality and storability of strawberry cv. Festival. In addition, study was conducted on the effect of active and passive modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on quality and storability of strawberry fruits. The experimental design was complete randomized block design for the field experiment and was complete randomized design for the Lab experiments. The results indicated that foliar spray with potassium silicate at 2000 ppm, potassium silicate at 2000 ppm + jasmine oil at 50 ppm or potassium silicate at 2000 ppm + jasmine oil at 100 ppm increased vegetative growth, yield and its components, physical and chemical properties of fruits. Potassium silicate at 2000 ppm + jasmine oil at 100 ppm treatment improved storability of strawberry fruits and exhibited good appearance with no decay after 12 days at 0°C + 2 days at 10°C. Strawberry fruits obtained from plants sprayed with potassium silicate at 2000 ppm + jasmine oil at 100 ppm and packed in active modified atmosphere packaging (7.5% O2 + 15% CO2) was the most effective treatment in maintaining quality and gave fruits with good appearance without decay till 15 days at 0°C + 2 days at 10°C.

Key Words: Strawberry, foliar spray, potassium silicate, Jasmine oil, postharvest, storability, shelf life, MAP.