Ascorbic Acid Treatments Enhanced the Postharvest Quality of Peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) Under Low-Temperature Storage Conditions

Abstract

Sustainable postharvest management of peach fruits using ascorbic acid acts as a natural, safe, non-toxic and effective antioxidant treatment to extend shelf life, maintain quality, and reduce postharvest losses. Peach fruits being climacteric in nature, have a short storage potential, resulting in rapid quality loss after harvest. Therefore, the current investigation was conducted at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during the years 2019-20 and 2020-21, with the objective to ascertain the impact of ascorbic acid treatments on overall quality and storage life of peach fruit under low temperature storage conditions. Physiologically mature fruits of peach cultivar ‘Shan-i-Punjab’ were immersed for five minutes in aqueous solutions of ascorbic acid (0.5 mM, 1.0 mM, 2.0 mM, control) and then shade-dried. These fruits were packed into three-layered corrugated fibre board boxes with paper lining with 5% perforation, then stored at 0-1ºC and 90- 95% relative humidity with vapour pressure deficit ranging from 0.03- 0.07 kilopascals for 40 days. It was found that 2.0mM ascorbic acid treatment was superior in delaying the fruit ripening index and reducing physico-biochemical changes of stored peach fruits, viz. total soluble solids, sugars, juice pH, titratable acidity, total carotenoids, mass loss, fruit spoilage and maintaining the sensory attributes and fruit colour as compared to control (untreated)fruits. It was concluded that postharvest application of ascorbic acid 2.0mM to peach fruits is a highly effective, safe, and sustainable method for maintaining fruit quality and extending shelf life under low-temperature storage conditions.