Effect of Gibberellic acid concentrations on physicochemical attributes and shelf life of different mango (Mangifera indica L.) varieties

Mango (Mangifera indica), often referred to as the "king of fruits," is a staple of tropical fruit production, offering high economic and nutritional value. However, mangoes are highly perishable, facing challenges like significant post-harvest losses due to rapid physiological weight loss, reduced fruit firmness, and shortened shelf life. To address these issues, this study evaluated the effects of gibberellic acid (GA3) on the physical, chemical, and storage characteristics of mangoes, aiming to improve post-harvest quality and extend their marketability. The experiment, conducted at Girija Prasad Koirala College of Agriculture and Research Centre (GPCAR), used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with six GA3 treatments (0, 50, 100, 200, 300, and 400 ppm). Uniformly sized, newly harvested ripe mangoes were treated with GA3 solutions for 10 minutes, with parameters such as physiological weight loss, total soluble solids, pulp pH, fruit firmness, and titratable acidity assessed after three days. The results revealed that mangoes treated with 400 ppm GA3 had the lowest physiological weight loss (35.75%), highest fruit firmness (1.14), and longest shelf life, with the Maldah variety performing best. Future studies could focus on optimizing GA3 application for diverse mango varieties and explore its integration with advanced storage technologies to further reduce post-harvest losses and improve global mango supply chains.