EFFECTS OF NEEM LEAF EXTRACT DIPPING AND BEESWAX COATING ON SHELF LIFE AND QUALITY OF TOMATO (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) FRUITS

Tomato fruit is highly perishable due to its climacteric ripening nature. The high postharvest loss of tomato in Ethiopia is also because of poor harvesting techniques, lack of packaging, inappropriate transportation, storage and absence of cooling facilities. Experiment was carried out to investigate the efficacy of beeswax (BW) emulsion and neem leaf extract (NLE) on elongation of shelf life and maintenance of quality of harvested tomato fruits. Freshly harvested mature green tomatoes, cultivar Shanty PM, of uniform size and weight were dipped in different concentration of BW emulsion and NLE. The experiment was arranged in completely randomized design with factorial arrangement in three replications. The treatment consisted of a combination of four levels of BW application (0%, 3%, 6% and 9%) and four levels of NLE (0%, 15%, 20% and 25%). Tomato fruits were stored at ambient condition (15.2-20.4ºC and 55.53 to 69.46% RH) after treatment was applied. Physico-chemical parameters, such as, physiological weight loss, decay percentage, marketability, TSS, TA, pH ascorbic acid and shelf life were assessed during the storage period. The result revealed that fruits treated with combination of 9 % beeswax with 25% (NLE) proved to be most effective with respect to longer shelf life, lower physiological loss in weight of fruits. The treatment was also promising for slower increase in TSS, pH and ascorbic acid, with slower decrease in acidity during storage. The highest percentages of marketable fruits with the lowest decay percentage were retained by BW coatings and NLE dipping. To this end, the combination treatment of beeswax and neem leaf extract treatments, particularly treatment with 9% BW + 25% NLE could potentially be used to extend the shelf life of tomato while maintaining its quality. Further research is suggested with the use of more tomato varieties and higher concentration levels of BW and NLE to reach at sound recommendation for postharvest handling of tomatoes