Effect of potassium permanganate in clay carrier on postharvest characteristics of pawpaw (Carica papaya L.) fruits

Postharvest handling and storage have impact on fruit quality.
An experiment was conducted in the Laboratory of the Department of Horticulture, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria to determine the effect of potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) in clay carrier on postharvest characteristics of pawpaw fruits stored under ambient condition.
Pawpaw fruits (‘Sunrise Solo’) were harvested at physiologically mature green stage from the orchard. 50 or 100% KMnO₄ concentration were incorporated with 1000 g air-dried clay mixed with 500 mL distilled water to form paste.
After air drying, 10, 30 or 50 g from each mixture were packed in muslin cloth and stored with the fruits in perforated white buckets (10-L capacity). Ten g of silica gel was included in the treatments to absorb moisture during fruit respiration.
Fruits stored without KMnO₄ or with silica gel served as control.
An average temperature of 29.3°C and relative humidity of 79.9% was observed in the storage medium.
Colour change and firmness retention decreased as storage days increased across the treatments.
Fruits stored with 10 g of 50% KMnO₄ concentration were firmer with increased vitamin A content and the rate of colour change from green to full yellow at 10 days after storage were delayed when compared with other treatments.
Titratable acidity (TA) and vitamin C content of fruits decreased with storage days while sugar content increased as storage days increased.
The pH of fruits increased with decreasing TA contents of fruits.
The study concluded that fruits stored with 10 g of 50% KMnO₄ concentration had retained fruit firmness, delayed colour development with higher nutrient quality after 10 days of storage at ambient storage.

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https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2022.1348.5