Effect of pre-harvest calcium sprays on post-harvest life of winter guava (Psidium guajava L.).

Influence of pre-harvest foliar application of calcium nitrate on quality attributes of winter guava cv. 'Sardar' during different interval of cold storage and post cold storage shelf-life under ambient conditions was investigated. Plants were sprayed with calcium nitrate solutions (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5%) at colour break stage of fruit and a fruit with no treatment was control. The fruits were harvested at optimum maturity. Bruise and disease free fruits were packed in corrugated fibre board boxes with newspaper lining and stored at 6-8 °C and 90-95% RH. The fruits were evaluated after 10, 20, 30 and 40 days of storage and during shelf-life at 2 and 4 days interval. Physiological loss in weight and spoilage of fruits increased and firmness, ascorbic acid and acidity decreased continuously during storage. Fruits treated with 1% Ca(NO3)2 effectively reduced spoilage, maintained higher firmness, total soluble solid and ascorbic acid up to 2 days under ambient conditions after 30 days of cold storage and remained moderately acceptable up to the 40 days of storage.