Abstract

LOPEZ BAUTISTA, Vicente; VILLASENOR PEREA, Carlos Alberto  and  PEREZ LOPEZ, Artemio. Mechanical properties and physiological answer of sapodilla fruits under axial compression. Rev Cie Téc Agr [online]. 2011, vol.20, n.3, pp.73-80. ISSN 2071-0054.

The mechanical damages constitute one of the principal causes of losses post-harvest of fruits and vegetables. Sapodilla fruits ( Manilkara zapota L. P. Royen ) are very perishable susceptible to mechanical damage and attack of pathogenic during the post-harvest. It was Examined the physiological behavior and mechanic under axial compression with an Instron Universal Testing Machine 3382, with capability of 100 kilo Newton and a velocity of crossbeam of 20 mm/ minute. The parallel plates compressed the fruit once only, checking a curve force-deformation for each fruit evaluated, in analysis were used two types of fruit (I and II), two positions of compression and three displacements of crossbeam. The evolution of the respiratory activity, and production of ethylene were determined during five days, mechanical variables were gotten from test for each fruit. The two types of sapodilla showed physiological sensibility to the application of external loads (mechanical damage). The production of ethylene and the velocity of respiration increased significantly for the load applied at the vertical position, which accelerated the deterioration. With the obtained results, it can be inferred than the mechanical parameters for protection of the fruits in harvest, transportation and storage, they should be based in the behavior of the fruits to compression at the horizontal position, with the second displacement of crossbeam, if compression can be reduced for down the doorsteps before referred, it would be possible to reduce the levels of damage and consequently showing a fresh fruit of quality.

Keywords : Manilkara sapota; compression; ethylene; respiration.

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