EFFECT OF RIPENING TEMPERATURE ON QUALITY AND COMPOSITIONAL CHANGES OF MANGO (MANGIFERA-INDICA L) CV KENSINGTON

Preclimacteric mangoes (Mangifera indica L.) cv. Kensington were treat ed with ethylene (200 mu L/L) for 36 h, then ripened under a range of temperatures from 13 to 30 degrees C and under 2 diurnal temperature r egimes (18/24 degrees C in 12/12 h and 18/6 h cycles). Fruit were asse ssed for quality (skin colour, pulp colour, eating quality) and compos itional changes over the ripening period. Fruit that was ripened at 18 -22 degrees C achieved the highest quality scores, with all quality pa rameters reaching a maximum within about 2 days of each other. Diurnal temperature cycling provided no advantage over non-cycled temperature s. Fruit ripened at 13 and 30 degrees C had lower skin colour quality scores, related to poor carotenoid development and high chlorophyll re tention, respectively. The poor carotenoid development at 13 degrees C also resulted in lower pulp colour quality scores. Eating quality was significantly lower at 13 and 30 degrees C, related to the slow decli ne in titratable acidity and poor flavour, respectively. Quality param eters became unsynchronised at 13 and 30 degrees C, with skin colour q uality reaching a maximum 5 days earlier than eating quality at 13 deg rees C, and 3 days later at 30 degrees C.