Postharvest quality response of green chili (<i>Capsicum Frutescens L</i>.) fruits to different concentrations of salicylic acid and calcium chloride

Capsicum frutescens L. (green chili) is an important food crop normally used in traditional cuisine. It is soft in texture with high moisture content and active metabolism; hence, it is highly vulnerable to quality deterioration. The object of this study was to explore the storage conditions for the enhancement of postharvest storage life of C. frutescens with six treatments: 1mM/L (T1), salicylic acid (SA) 2mM/L (T2), SA 4mM/L (T3), calcium chloride (CaCl2) 0.5% (T4), CaCl2 1.5% (T5), and CaCl2 2% (T6). Treated fruits were packed in three different types of pack-ing materials (polythene, paper, and cardboard), and the experiment was duplicated to store at 10ºC and 25ºC. The quality of fruits was assessed by decay percentage, weight loss percentage, length of shelf life, and antioxidant activities. The given treatments improved the quality of chili. The shelf life was significantly enhanced by 4mM/L SA and 2% CaCl2 treatment for up to 56 days in cardboard packaging at 10°C.