EFFECT OF VARIOUS EDIBLE COATINGS ON SHELF LIFE OF TOMATO (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.)

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.) is one of the most important Solanaceous vegetable crops cultivated widely all over the world. The edible coating is the material that is used for the improvement and maintenance of shelf life and quality of tomato fruit by reducing the respiration rate from the fruit surface. It is eco-friendly and an alternative to synthetic packaging material. Thus, the present investigation was carried out to assess the effect of various edible coatings on the shelf life of tomatoes in the Horticulture Research Lab of School of Agriculture, ITM University, Gwalior, M.P., India in May 2022. The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. Each replication was comprised of ten treatment combinations of various edible coatings viz., T0 (Control), T1 (Kaolin @ 0.75%), T2 (Kaolin @ 1.25%), T3 (Kaolin @ 2.25%), T4 (Chitosan @ 1.50%), T5 (Chitosan @ 2.00%), T6 (Chitosan @ 2.50%), T7 (Wax @ 0.75), T8 (Wax @ 1.25%) and T9 (Wax @ 2.25%) were used for induced the shelf life of tomato. Results showed that the use of different edible coatings significantly influenced the shelf life and quality of tomato fruits. It was recorded that edible coating treatment T4 (Kaolin @ 2.25%) was found the superior treatment as compared to other edible coating treatments and it gave the maximum physical parameters and biochemical parameters. However, the minimum physical parameters and biochemical parameters were recorded under control treatment T0. Therefore, on the basis of the present study, it may be concluded that the Kaolin @ 2.25 =% was best for the improving shelf life and quality of tomato fruit.