QUALITY OF 'TOMMY ATKINS' MANGOES IN POST-HARVEST WITH CALCIUM CHORIDE SPRAY USE IN THE PRE-HARVEST PERIOD

The fruits produced in Livramento de Nossa Senhora, Bahia, had been analyzed with the objective to verify the influence of spraying application of calcium chloride in pre-harvest period on shelf life of 'Tommy Atkins' mangoes. The sprayings of CaCl2 were made three times: 35, 65 and 95 days after mango flowering. The used treatments were composed of the following concentrations of calcium chloride: 0.0%; 2.0%; 3.5%; 5.0% and 6.5%. The fruits were harvested, transported to the Laboratory of Biotechnology of Bahia Southwest State University, stored at 10 degrees C and 90% RH and evaluated during 35 days. The statistical design was an entirely randomized, using a factorial scheme 5 x 6, with 3 repetitions and 2 fruits/plot. The analyzed parameters were: loss of mass, firmness, titratable acidity, pH, soluble solids, soluble solids and titratable acidity ratio, incidence and severity of internal breakdown. During the period of fruit storage it was observed that in relation to the loss of mass, the fruits presented inferior loss when higher concentration of calcium chloride were used, from the 28th day of storage. For soluble solids and firmness they were also influenced in higher concentrations. For the other characteristics no differences were observed among them. No effects were verified in incidence and severity of internal breakdown in mangoes. From the results it can be concluded that the application of high concentrations of calcium chloride (>= 3,5%) in mango tree in pre-harvest period, increase shelf-life after 28 days of fruit storage, however it does not reduce the incidence of internal breakdown.