Effects of Calcium and Gibberellic Acid on the Quality and Shelf Life of ‘Gefner’ Atemoya Grown in a Semiarid Region

Atemoya is a climacteric and highly perishable fruit prone to cracking during ripening—a factor that limits its shelf life and marketability. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of gibberellic acid and calcium on reducing cracking and preserving atemoyas grown under semi-arid conditions and stored under refrigeration. Calcium and gibberellic acid applications were performed at 7, 27, 47, 67, and 87 days, with fruit harvest occurring 121 days after pollination. A completely randomized design (CRD) was used in a 4 × 6 factorial scheme (Control, Calcium, Gibberellic Acid, and Calcium + Gibberellic Acid [Ca + GA3]) with six cold storage periods (0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 days) and five replicates. Fruits were subjected to the following evaluations: appearance, mass, fresh mass loss, cracking index, pulp firmness, pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids, vitamin C, chlorophyll, electrolyte leakage, total sugars, starch, DPPH, polyphenols, peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase enzyme activity, and mineral quantification. The results demonstrated that Ca and Ca+GA3 treatments favored a reduction in cracking and increased bioactive compounds—such as phenols, vitamin C, and chlorophyll—contributing to delayed senescence through reduced electrolyte leakage. Furthermore, the refrigerated fruits remained suitable for consumption for up to twelve days, regardless of the treatment.