EFFECT OF MATURITY STAGE AND TEMPERATURE DURING TOMATO (LYCOPERSICON ESCULENTUM MILL.) STORAGE

ISHS Acta Horticulturae 464: International Postharvest Science Conference Postharvest 96

**EFFECT OF MATURITY STAGE AND TEMPERATURE DURING TOMATO (LYCOPERSICON ESCULENTUM MILL.) STORAGE**

Authors:

A. Fraschina, F. Vartorelli, S. Moccia, E. Mónaco, A. Chiesa

Abstract:
Increased agricultural production to satisfy the rising world demand for food constitutes one of the most serious challenges for researchers around the world. Production can be increased by decreasing postharvest losses as well as by increasing yield. Since tomatoes are a highly perishable fruit and one of the most widely-consumed vegetable crops in our country, it is essential to reduce their postharvest losses and achieve an extended shelf-life. Ripening in climacteric fruit such as tomato is a complex phenomenon. It encompasses a diverse set of physiological processes. Progressive changes in color, texture, flavour and aroma are the result of changed patterns of gene expression and metabolic activity. In addition to other biochemical transitions, such as pigment biosynthesis and production of volatiles, softening accompanies the ripening of many fruits.

We studied the change with time in some parameters which determine the stage of tomato maturity, such as soluble solids, dry matter and the fruit firmness, using two traditional and one long shelf-life tomato hybrids, harvested at three different maturity stages according to USDA criteria: mature green, breaker and red. Fruits were stored at two different temperatures, 10°C and 20°C. Soluble solids, dry matter and firmness were evaluated during six weeks of storage. A completely randomized block design and simple linear regression models were used. Results were as follows.

The long shelf-life hybrid displayed firmer fruit with a higher percentage of soluble solids and dry matter.
The higher value of total solids in the long shelf-life tomatoes is mainly associated with an increase in soluble solids.
The tomatoes stored at 20°C showed a decrease in dry matter and firmness throughout the storage period greater than those tomatoes stored at 10°C, which possibly displayed a steady low rate of respiration. The more rapid decrease of dry matter in tomatoes stored at 20°C is possibly due to increased respiratory rate and loss of sugars especially pectic polysaccharides but not in sucrose. There may be some dilution in concentration resulting from water uptake.
The loss of flesh texture in traditional tomatoes is attributable to breakdown of cell-wall and middle lamella polysaccharides with higher enzymatic activity than in long shelf-life tomato.

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