Improvement of the shelf life and physico-chemical parameters of papaya fruits (Carica papaya L., cv. solo 8) by hexanal pre-harvest application

Papaya (Carica papaya L.), is a plant native to the Americas, belonging to the Caricaceae family, whose fruit has extraordinary nutritional properties. It is a climacteric fruit, and its ethylene production and respiratory activity increase during ripening. It is therefore important to find a process for delaying ripening before harvesting in order to extend its post-harvest shelf life and make it more accessible on the market. Field experiments were carried out to study the effect of hexanal (0.02%) spraying on papaya fruit (Carica papaya L. cv. solo 8) 90 days after anthesis. Papaya fruits received hexanal application once a week for six weeks (90 T6) and every fortnight for six weeks (90 T3) compared to control (90 NT). The fruit was analysed at weekly intervals for nine weeks during ripening period to assess physico-chemical characteristics. Papaya fruits sprayed once a week for six weeks (90 T6) and once every fortnight for six weeks (90 T3) delayed fruit ripening time for five (5) and four (4) weeks longer respectively than the control. Physico-chemical parameters such as firmness (71.29-4.23 N) and vitamin C (78.33-51.2 g/100 FM ) decreased in the control after four weeks, whereas they increased in fruit treated six times (90 T6) up to nine weeks, with values of 76.05-78.05 N to 67.16-78.2 g/100 FM and eight weeks for fruit treated three times (90 T3) (72.63-71.1 N; 79.18-74.4 g/100 FM).