Influence of Maturity Stage on Post-harvest Quality of Guava Cultivars

Abstract

The guava (Psidium guajava L.), a member of the Myrtaceae family and a native of tropical America, was brought to India by the Portuguese in the 17th century. The primary focus lies in comprehending the physiological and biochemical alterations within the fruit, which play a crucial role in understanding metabolic phenomena such as fruit ripening, softening, and overall aging. Additionally, these changes hold significance for shaping commercial procedures and meeting post-harvest demands. It is imperative for the post-harvest management system to strive to deliver the fruit to the market in the desired condition sought by consumers or importers. Guavas are highly perishable fruits, with fresh supplies to markets often lasting only a few days. In the Postharvest Laboratory of the Department of Horticulture, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, an experiment was carried out to investigate the influence of maturity stage on the post-harvest quality of guava cultivars under ambient conditions at 3-day intervals of storage. The guava cultivars, namely Lalit, Allahabad Safeda, and Shweta, were chosen at distinct stages of maturity, encompassing mature green, color break and ripe. The findings showed that the ripeness or stage of maturity at harvest had a substantial impact on the quality and storage life of guava fruits. In comparison to the colour-turning stage and the ripe stage of fruits, the mature green stage demonstrated promising results in maintaining post-harvest quality. Considering all the parameters, the best guava cultivars in terms of superior post-harvest quality, including total soluble solids, lycopene content, ascorbic acid content, and minimal acidity content, were found to be the Lalit cultivar.