EFFECTS OF NITROGEN GAS AND CLYBIO APPLICATION ON SHELF-LIFE EXTENSION AND SKIN COLOR RETENTION OF RIPE LITCHI

DOI: http://doi.org/10.55706/ijbssr11105
The
experiment was conducted at Horticulture Innovation Lab.BD., Department of
Horticulture, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar,
Dhaka. The experiment consisted of ten treatments where litchi fruits were kept
in storage, namely Control (no treatments), Clybio spray, Plastic box, Ziploc
pack, Plastic box with Clybio spray, Ziploc pack with Clybio spray, Plastic box
with N2 gas, Ziploc pack with N2 gas, Plastic box +
Clybio+ N2 gas and Ziploc pack + Clybio+ N2 gas. The
study evaluated the effect of these treatments at post-harvest on the
percentage of weight loss, Total Soluble Solid
(Brix percentage), skin color (L*, a*, b*, C* and h values) and percentage of weight loss and brix (%). It was observed that the lowest
percentage of weight loss (20.7%) occurred in the litchis treated with Clybio
and stored inside a Ziploc bag at 7 days in storage. The lowest brix percentage
was measured (16.5%) when treated with clybio spray and stored in a plastic
box. After 7 days in storage, the percentage of weight loss increased along
with the increase in brix (%) indicating a significant relationship. The color
of the fruit also changed significantly in storage from initial day until the 7th
day. After 7 days in storage, the plastic box + Clybio + N2 gas
treatment produced the best color retention results, with the L* value of 39.8,
a* value of 27.1, b* value of 21.6, C* value of 34.7, and h value of 38.6,
indicating that the litchi stored under this treatment retained a redder and
brighter color. The goal of the
study was to extend the shelf-life of litchi while preserving its natural red
color during post-harvest storage to command a higher market price
and increase profitability.