Mango fruit matures in 100 to 150 days after
flowering. The fruit will have the best flavor if allowed to ripen on the tree.
Ripening fruit turns the characteristic color of the variety and begins to
soften to the touch, much like a peach. Commercial marketability requires 13%
dissolved solids (sugars). You may start harvesting when the sugar level become
12%. When the first fruit shows color on tree, all of that
size fruit or larger may be removed; repeat when remaining fruit colors.
Picking should be done by the
experienced/trained person. Mangoes are generally harvested by hand from
the ground, by snapping the mangofrom the stem. Where
harvesting by hand from the ground is not possible, a long pole with
a cutting blade and a small bagunder the blade to catch the fruit.is
used. Don't allow mango to fall from tree, it will
cause injury. Mango is placed in chilled water
(containing 100 ppmsodium hyperchlorite) for washing to remove
debris and latex stains. Before
placing into cold storage dry the moisture from Mango skin. Do not
store below 10° C. As per Post Harvest Research
Center, Faisalabad, the best storing temperature for Pakistani
Mangoes is 17° C. You may store your Mangoes at this temperature upto 21
days. The fruit ripens best if placed stem end down in trays at
room temperature and covered with a dampened cloth to avoid shriveling.
TIPS
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Start Picking early in the morning.
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Picking should be done by trained staff.
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Place the Mangoes in Sheds after
picking.
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Provide them Chilled Water treatment.
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Don't allow belly packing.
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Transport Mangoes under chilled or at
least in shaded vehicle.
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Place them at 17° C with 98%
Moisture.
For More Information
about post harvest treatment please contact;
Mr.
Inayat Ali Malik (Director)
Post
Harvest Research Center, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute,
Faisalabad,
38950, PAKISTAN.
Ph.92-41-651370
e-mail
post@harvest.fsb.erum.com.pk
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