Effect of fruit heat treatment in three mango varieties on incidence of postharvest fungal disease

Alternaria alternata, Botryodiplodia theobromae and Botrytis cinerea were isolated from rotted fruits of mango cultivars Keitt, Kent, and Tommy Atkins, and proved to be highly pathogenic to all these varieties. Preliminary tests showed that dipping fruits in hot water (HW) at 50 degrees C for 5 min or holding in hot air (HA) for 4 h at 40 degrees C did not damage the fruit. Combination of HA for 4 h followed by HW for 5 min (HA + HW) was the most effective treatment for retarding postharvest disease without peel blackening and fruit damage. These heat treatments, especially HA + HW increased the shelf life of inoculated and uninoculated fruits. The quality characteristics of non-inoculated fruits of the three varieties including total soluble solids, titratable acidity and vitamin C contents were not significantly affected by these heat treatments.