September 29, 2025 | Postharvest Biology and Technology |
A study by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation evaluated how dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA) storage can improve the postharvest longevity of ‘Palmer’ mango grown on ‘Espada’ rootstock in Brazil. The background of the study is the need to suppress aerobic respiration during cold storage to slow fruit senescence while avoiding the onset of anaerobic metabolism that can cause quality loss.
Two experiments were performed to identify and validate the anaerobic compensation point (ACP), defined as the minimum oxygen partial pressure (pO₂) that maximally inhibits aerobic respiration without inducing ethanol accumulation. In the first experiment, mangoes harvested at commercial maturity in both summer and winter seasons were stored at 9 °C, and changes in O₂, CO₂, and ethanol were monitored to determine the ACP. The ACP varied by season, ranging from 0.3 to 4.7 kPa in summer and from 1.75 to 11.15 kPa in winter, indicating seasonal differences in respiratory behavior.
In the second experiment, mangoes stored under DCA using the identified minimum pO₂ showed reduced respiration rates and mass loss compared with fruit stored under conventional refrigeration. DCA storage also better preserved skin and pulp color, firmness, soluble solids, titratable acidity, and the soluble solids–to–acidity ratio during 60 days of storage. The findings demonstrate that season-specific DCA management can effectively extend mango postharvest life while maintaining fruit quality.
