Vol. 11, Issue 8 (2022)

Author(s):
Kaarunya A, Dr. R Meenatchi and Dr. S Vignesh

Abstract:
The postharvest exposure of tomato fruit, being a climacteric crop, has a limited postharvest life owing to the occurrence of postharvest diseases, rapid ripening and senescence which causes significant quantity and quality losses throughout the supply chain. This study investigated the bio-control efficacy of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and propolis extract against the postharvest decay caused by bacterial and fungal pathogen such as E. coli and Aspergillus sp. respectively in tomatoes. Results indicated that there was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in the lesion diameter (mm) and disease incidence (%) of the tomatoes treated with LAB strain and propolis extract when compared to the control at the end of 6th day. LAB and propolis treated tomatoes on 6^th day showed lower disease incidence of 75% and 60% for E. coli and 72 and 68% for Aspergillus sp. respectively. Thus, it indicated the efficacy of the antimicrobial agents in controlling the decay caused by E. coli and Aspergillus sp. Further, the postharvest quality changes were evaluated for the delay in the occurrence of disease when stored at 30 ^oC and 95±2% relative humidity for 7 days. The results indicated that there was a significant difference between the control and treatment groups in all the (Postharvest quality) parameters such as pH, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), weight loss and firmness at the end of the 6^th day. These findings demonstrate that the LAB and propolis extract effectively contributed to the delay in senescence of tomato fruit, thereby extending the freshness and preserving the quality of tomatoes which are perceived as an important quality parameter by the end consumer.