Physiological and Biochemical Attributes Associated with Spongy Tissue Disorder in Mangifera Indica L CV Alphonso during Ripening

Spongy tissue is one of the most important malady found in few cultivars of Mangifera indica throughout the world.This causes qualitative and quantitative transformation in affected fruits which results in decline in export potential as well as consumer acceptability.Due to the unclear understanding of the genesis of spongy tissue disorder and the paucity of research, a study was conducted to determine the physiological and biochemical factors that contribute to the occurrence of this disorder in Alphonso mango during ripening under different storage conditions (Ambient and cold storage).The results showed that weight loss (16 and 20.22%) and respiration rate (97.66 and 130.45 ml kg -1 h -1 CO 2 ) in healthy and spongy tissue-affected (STA) fruits respectively showed higher metabolic activities in STA fruits in ambient storage.The higher rate of weight loss and respiration in ambient storage as compared to cold storage conditions revealed that accumulated heat in fruits is highly responsible for occurrence of spongy tissue tragedy.A significant difference in carotenoid content (0.836 and 0.407 g kg -1 ), TSS (18.3 and 12.42 o Brix), and pulp firmness (1.44 and 0.168 N) in healthy and STA fruits confirms absorption of nutrients towards the seed kernel due to initiation of germination.In STA fruits higher respiration rate, weight loss lead to quantitative losses and lower pulp firmness, carotenoid content, total and reducing sugars, TSS results in significant qualitative losses.The fruits in cold storage during ripening showed significant control over spongy tissue disorder as compared to ambient storage by stopping heat accumulation and seed germination during ripening.