Effects of Packaging and Low Temperature on Shelf Life and Quality of Litchi

Litchi is a non-climacteric fruit and it deteriorates very fast after harvest. Various technologies have been devised to minimize the post-harvest losses of Litchi; one of such technologies is the use of Polypropylene bag and low temperature. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the effects of thickness of polypropylene bags and low temperature on the storage behavior of Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn, var. Bombai). The experiment consisted of two factors including temperature (T1: Ambient temperature, T2: 4ºC temperature); and Polypropylene bags (P1: Control (unwrapped), P2: 50 μm Polypropylene bag, P3: 75 μm Polypropylene bag, P4: 100 μm Polypropylene bag. The experiment was conducted in completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. The postharvest treatments caused highly significant variation in the shelf life of Litchi. Among the treated and untreated fruits, 75 μm Polypropylene bags at low temperature (4 ºC) exhibited better storage performance. The fruits wrapped in 75 μm Polypropylene bag at 4 °C showed the longest shelf life (23.67 days) followed by 50 μm and 100 μm Polypropylene bags at 4 °C (23.33 days). The shortest shelf life was obtained in the untreated fruits (3 days). It may be concluded that keeping Litchi in 75 μm Polypropylene bag and stored in low temperature (4 ºC) is the best postharvest approach to extend Litchi shelf life without considerable negative effects on fruit quality. For short-term storage of Litchi fruits 75 μm Polypropylene bag at ambient temperature is recommended.