Özet:

The combined effects of controlled atmosphere (CA) storage and postharvest ozone treatment on storage life and quality of pomegranate cv. Hicaznar were investigated. Pomegranates were harvested and grouped in three lots. Non-treated first group was used as control. Second group was exposed to ozone (4 ppm) gaseous for 6 h at 5 ºC. Last group was chemical treatment, dipped into 0.9% prochloraz solution at 5 ºC for 10 seconds. After treatments, fruit were stored in CA (5% O2 - 10% CO2) conditions at 6 ºC and 90±5% relative humidity for 5 months. Weight loss, total soluble solids content, titratable acidity, respiration rate, fruit skin color, decay incidence, chilling injury and sensory evaluation were determined initially and at one month intervals. Fungicide treatment significantly reduced the weight loss and respiration rate of pomegranates. More decay developed on control fruit than those of ozone and fungicide combinations at the end of storage. Ozone and fungicide treatments gave better results in terms of sensory evaluations compared to control group. No chilling injury incidence was recorded in pomegranate during 5 months. As a result, ozone and prochloraz treatments were effective to prolong the storage life and maintain the postharvest quality of Hicaznar pomegranate stored in CA conditions.

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