THE ROLE OF ASPIRIN IN DELAYING POSTHARVEST RIPENING OF GUAVA ((Psidium guajava L.) FRUITS

Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is an important tropical fruit can be eaten as fresh or juice. Considered to be very rich in vitamin C, high lycopene content. However, guava fruit has shown fast ripening after harvest with short shelf-life, exhibit a high respiration rate and fast ripening that leads to perishable during storage periods which limits transportation and storage period. This study was planned to investigate the role of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) treatment in improving post-harvest quality, shelf life, sugar and antioxidant (as carotenoid) content of guava fruit. The experiment was laid in completely randomized design (CRD) in two replications. Quantitative data were collected for weight loss(the highest 22.66 at 0mM &11.76 at 4mM, vitamin C(ascorbic acid)(the highest 18.70 at 4mM& lowest 13.80 at 0mM in the 5th) , total chlorophyll( highest 0.30 at 4mM& lowest 0.22 at 0Mm in the 5th ) and carotenoid contents(lowest 1.57 at 4mM &the highest 2.40 at 0mM in the 5th), titratable acidity(the highest 11.57 at 0mM&lowest 7.71 at 0mM in the 5th )and reducing sugars(the lowest 5.19 at 2mM &the highest 11.57 at 0mM in the 5th ).The result indicated that there were significant differences between control and acetylsalicylic acid treated guava fruit samples for all the studied parameters except weight loss. The low carotenoid and sugar contents in ASA treated group showing that ASA delays postharvest ripening of guava fruit. On the other hand, the higher vitamin C, total acidity, chlorophyll content and weight loss in ASA treated groups also showing that ASA delays postharvest ripening of guava fruit. Quantitative analysis of chemical properties of the fruit has shown that the overall increase in reducing sugars, and carotenoid contents while chlorophyll, vitamin C total acidity and weight loss decrease during post-harvest ripening of guava fruit. Further studies are required on the effect of storage conditions, cultivar differences and environments on fruit quality parameters.