EFFECT OF CALCIUM CHLORIDE APPLICATION ON QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS AND POST HARVEST PERFORMANCE OF LOQUAT FRUIT DURING STORAGE

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) is an important sub-tropical fruit. In Pakistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (KPK) and Northern Punjab are the loquat growing provinces and its fruit comes to the market when no other fresh fruit is available. It is an important but little studied fruit for which no research work has been reported inside the country. The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of different Ca+2 treatments on the post-harvest physiology and quality of loquat fruit. Freshly harvested loquat fruit was treated with different concentrations of calcium chloride (1%, 2% and 3%), stored at 4 °C, RH 85-90%, and evaluated regarding various quality parameters. Results showed significant (p = 0.05) retention of firmness and ascorbic acid content in samples dipped in 3% calcium chloride. Total soluble solids content was inversely correlated with acidity and throughout the 24-day storage period was significantly (p = 0.05) lower in samples treated with 3% CaCl2 than the untreated samples. Results of the weight loss %, firmness and vitamin C assessments suggested that 3% CaCl2 was helpful in extending shelf-life.