Alphonso mango conservation through exposure to gamma radiation

Dispensation of fresh produce especially fruits through radiation, involves exposure to short wave energy to achieve a specific purpose viz. reduce the weight loss and extend the ripening. An experiment was carried out to study the effect of irradiation and storage conditions in Alphonso mango on physiological weight loss and ripening. The experiment was laid out in completely randomized block design with factorial concept with three repetitions. The fruits were exposed to gamma radiation for different doses from the source of 60Co at Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai. There were sixteen treatment combinations of irradiation dose (I1 -0.00, I2 -0.20, I3 -0.40 and I4 -0.60 kGy) and storage temperature (S1-Ambient, S2-9°C, S3-12°C and S4-CA storage (12°C, O2 2%, CO2 3%). The data indicated that the fruits irradiated with 0.40 kGy gamma rays (I3) recorded significantly minimum percent reduction in physiological loss in weight and extended the ripening. Similar pattern was noted when fruits were kept at 9°C storage temperature. Combined effect of 0.40 kGy gamma rays irradiation and 9°C storage temperature (I3S2) also recorded maximum reduction in the physiological loss in weight and ripening percent throughout the storage period.    Key words: Gamma rays, Mangifera indica L., postharvest, 60Co, refrigeration.