Preharvest Apoplication of calcium on quality an dPostharvest Life of Longkong Fruits

Abstract

The studies on fruit growth and development of longkong (Lansium domesticum Corr.) together with calcum concentration levels (0.00 , 0.10, 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75%) applied on the fruits during fruit development were conducted. The experiments were conducted at Ban Na San district. Surat Thani Province and Tha Sa La district, Nakhon si Thammarat Province longkong orchards during sesons of 1994-1995. The rsults showed district, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province longkong orchards during seasons of 1994-1995. The results showed district, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province longkong orchards during sesons of 1994-1995. The results showed that fruit cluster development from bud burst to physiological maturity was 139+-7 days and fruit development (from fruit set to harvest) was 91+-days. The application of 0.50% and 0.75% of calcium solution decreased fruit detachment and fruit cracking 30.20 and 16.00 % at Ban Na San and Tha Sala respectively, compared with control (0.00% Ca), In addition, the calcium treatments could increase fruit number per cluster and fruit weight compared with control. However, the conditions of each orchards, trees healthy and micro-climate during fruit development were more influence to percentage of fruit attachment than calcium application.
Calcium application during fruit development increased fruit storage life. In the storage conditions, the fruits were kept for 18-21 days by plastic film wrapping (PVC) at 18C whereas stored the fruits in ambient conditions could be kept for 6-8 days. In addition, the results were found that temperature was more effective on storage life than using plastic and calcium application.