Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

EFFECT OF PRE-HARVEST TREATMENTS ON STORAGE LIFE OF FLAME SEEDLESS GRAPES (VITIS VINIFERA L.)

Mandeep Kaur and M.I.S. Gill

Abstract

To improve the quality especially w.r.t uniform colour development and to enhance the storage life of Flame Seedless grapes, the effect of pre-harvest treatments viz cluster thinning, girdling and ethephon was investigated. The cluster thinning was done by retaining 100, 75 and 50 per cent of total number of bunches on the vines and the rest were removed immediately after full bloom. The application of ethephon (400 and 500 ppm) and trunk girdling was done at veraison stage. All the treatments of ethephon and girdling were given atcolour (veraison) break stage. Trunk girdling was done with 2 mm wide girdler. The highest yield was obtained in the treatment crop load 100 per cent + 500 ppm ethephon, followed by crop load 75 per cent + 500 ppm ethephon. After pre-harvest treatments, the fruits were harvested at physiological mature stage and were packed in CFB boxes duly lined with LDPE polythene liners containing one sheet of grape guard and were stored at 0-2o C and 90-95% relative humidity. In the storage studies, bunches harvested from the treatment crop load 50 % + girdling had the lowest physiological loss in weight (PLW), the spoilage percentage and berry shatter percentage.