International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.3, 175-185 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 184 Figure 7 Salicylic acid effect on shelf life of mango 3 Discussion Salicylic acid resulted in delaying the rate of respiration by inhibiting CO2 production, decreasing the permeability of tissue thereby reducing the rate of water loss in the form of evaporation. Salicylic acid reduced weight loss by reducing metabolic, and enzymatic activities (Islam, 2001). Salicylic acid decreased the rate of fruit softening as it delays the progress of some components of the ripening of fruit, preventing some changes as triggered by ethylene. The total soluble solids (TSS) of mango fruits had increased gradually upto certain period and then decreased progressively with increase in storage period. However, in the fruits treated with SA (150 ppm and 200 ppm), the TSS has showed a continual increasing trend towards the end of storage life. The higher retention of total soluble solids in the treated mango fruits might be due to delayed ripening process caused by suppressed ethylene production. The higher acidity in pulp provides the better keeping and storage quality, thus it is a desirable character The reduction in acidity during storage after attainment of maturity and ripening might be due to the utilization of organic acids as a substrate for respiration next to the sugars. Titratable acidity abated with the advancement in storage period. The abating trend was rapid from the initial to 6th day and, thereafter, it was slower. Similar findings have also been reported by Reddy and Sharma (2016). The fruits treated SA @ 200 ppm retained higher TA compared to other treatments or untreated mangoes, which might be due to delayed ripening and senescence processes resulting in the reduction of acid oxidation. The conversion of organic acids into sugar and their utilization in the respiration process leads to a decrease in organic acids which ultimately leads to a decline in titratable acidity. A decrease in titratable acidity was observed in the present investigation. The maximum TSS: TA ratio was obtained in fruits treated with 200 ppm of salicylic acid which is due to the fruit degradation because of the hydrolysis of starch into soluble sugars and accumulation of these sugars in the fruits. Salicylic acid extends storage life by decreasing ethylene biosynthesis, respiration, and transpiration, as well as water loss and decays infection through stomatal closure of the fruit surface, preserving firmness, and delaying the Senescence stage by preventing polyphenol oxidase activity (Abdel Salam et al., 2022). 4 Concluding Remarks According to this research, it has been found that physicochemical properties like physiological loss in weight, total soluble solids, pulp pH, and TSS: TA ratio were rapidly increased while titratable acidity and fruit firmness were decreased faster in control fruits compared to treated fruits. According to this study, it was observed that the shelf life of mango can be extended with different concentrations of salicylic acid as it delays senescence, retarded
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