Vol. 11, Issue 10 (2022)

An experiment entitled, “Effect of pre and post-harvest application of chitosan on Sensory quality and microbial count parameters of grape Cv. Manik Chaman during storage at 0 °C temperature” was conducted in the Department of Post-Harvest Management of Fruit, Vegetable and Flower Crops, P.G. Institute of P.H.M., Killa-Roha during the year 2017-2018. The study aimed at minimizing post-harvest handling losses in table grapes by using following experiment. The experiment was conducted in Factorial Completely Randomized Design (FCRD) for different parameters with six main treatments viz. untreated fruits (control), 0.1% pre-harvest spray and 0.5 to 2% post-harvest dipping of chitosan, with 0, 15, 30 and 45 days storage period at 0 °C temperature and the grape berries were analyzed for the changes in sensory qualities and microbial count parameters. It was observed that the pre-harvest spray and post-harvest dipping of chitosan treatments recorded delay in increase in microbial count and delay in decreasing sensory qualities of grape Cv. Manik Chaman irrespective of treatments.

As regards the organoleptic evaluation, the grape clusters with 0.1% pre-harvest spray and 1.0% post-harvest dipping of chitosan treatment obtained highest sensory score at 45 days of storage at 0 °C temperature condition as compare to other treatments. Thus, it is suggested that 0.1% pre-harvest spray and 1.0% post-harvest dipping of chitosan is optimum for grape.