International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.1, 38-43 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 41 The decline in the firmness might be due to moisture loss from the fruit cells. Softening of fruits can result from either the breakdown of insoluble proto-pectins into soluble pectin or the hydrolysis of starch (Virkar and Garande, 2023). The observed greater firmness in fruits treated with CaCl2 compared to other treatments may be attributed to calcium's role in binding polygalacturonic acid molecules together, consequently strengthening and rigidifying the cell membrane, as suggested by Sharma et al. (2012). 2.4 Total soluble solid (TSS) TSS serves as a key indicator for assessing mandarin fruit quality. TSS levels increased over the storage period across all treatments, with a more pronounced rise observed in untreated (control) fruits compared to those treated with various chemicals (Table 3). Table 3 Effect of postharvest treatments on TSS Treatment TSSD1 TSSD5 TSSD10 TSSD15 TSSD20 Control 8.85a 9.06a 11.29a 12.25a 12.24a Calcium chloride 9.77a 10.06a 10.72a 11.16b 11.54a Cinnamomum oil 9.15a 10.45a 11.12a 11.55ab 11.70a Bavistin 8.87a 9.83a 10.83a 11.3ab 11.09a Salt solution 9.75a 9.87a 10.53a 10.85b 12.36a CV 7.65 8.86 5.26 5.25 9.46 F-value (Treatment) 1.64 1.35 1.13 3.12 0.87 LSD 1.09 1.34 0.88 0.92 1.71 Mean 9.28 9.86 10.90 11.42 11.79 SE 0.20 0.22 0.13 0.23 0.23 Note: Means with the same letter within a column do not differ significantly at p= 0.05, CV = Coefficient of variation, LSD = Least Significant Difference, and SE = Standard Error During the storage period, the untreated (control) fruits consistently displayed the highest TSS content, starting from 8.85 ˚Brix in the 1st week and reaching 12.36 ˚Brix by the 4th week. In contrast, fruits treated with Bavistin consistently maintained the lowest TSS levels, ranging between 8.875 ˚Brix and 11.09167 ˚Brix from the 1st to the 4th week. The trend observed suggests that fruits treated with Bavistin exhibited superior qualities due to a gradual increase in TSS content, contrasting with the faster pace of increase seen in untreated (control) and salt solution-treated fruits. The gradual TSS increment in Bavistin-treated fruits could be attributed to the effective inhibition of metabolic activities, particularly respiration and transpiration. Bavistin, being a fungicide, likely played a role in slowing down these metabolic processes, which are known to influence TSS levels. By inhibiting microbial growth and activity, Bavistin may have helped to maintain fruit quality and slow down the breakdown of sugars into simpler compounds, leading to a more controlled rise in TSS over time. On the other hand, untreated fruits and those treated with salt solution experienced a faster increase in TSS. This could be due to the absence of any treatment to regulate metabolic activities. In untreated fruits, metabolic processes such as respiration and transpiration likely occurred at a faster rate, resulting in quicker changes in TSS levels. Rokaya et al. (2016) found that fruits with control treatment had the highest sugar content during storage. In summary, Bavistin-treated fruits demonstrated a superior trend in TSS content due to the controlled metabolic activities facilitated by the fungicide. In contrast, the faster TSS increment in untreated fruits and those treated with salt solution may be attributed to the absence of such regulation mechanisms, allowing metabolic processes to proceed at a faster pace. Purbiati and Supriyanto (2013) reported that the rise in Total Soluble Solids (TSS) could be linked to the conversion of starch and other insoluble carbohydrates into soluble solids. Jholgiker and Reddy (2007) claimed that the coating material on fruits helps reduce transpiration losses and creates a modified atmosphere, leading to increased Total Soluble Solids (TSS).
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