Dinamika Susut Bobot dan Padatan Terlarut Total Beberapa Varietas Jagung Manis (Zea mays saccharata) Selama Penyimpanan Pascapanen pada Suhu Ruang

Sweet corn (Zea mays saccharata) is a horticultural commodity that is susceptible to postharvest quality deterioration due to water loss and changes in carbohydrate metabolism during storage. This study aimed to evaluate changes in weight loss and total soluble solids (TSS) in seven sweet corn varieties during storage at room temperature and to analyze the effects of variety, storage duration, and their interaction. The varieties tested were SC SH722, JM 3165, Exsotic, Paragon, HIBRIX 59, HIBRIX 72, and 18E5044, each with three replications. Observations were conducted on days 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 at a temperature of 27–30 °C and a relative humidity of 70–85%. The data were analyzed using a Linear Mixed Model (LMM), with variety, storage duration, and their interaction as fixed effects and the experimental unit as a random effect. The results showed that weight loss increased in all varieties during storage. On day 10, the lowest descriptive weight loss was observed in Paragon (33.71%), whereas the highest was recorded in SC SH722 (46.44%). The interaction between variety and storage duration had no significant effect on weight loss (p > 0.05). In contrast, their interaction significantly affected TSS (p < 0.05), indicating differences in TSS change patterns among varieties. HIBRIX 72 had the highest initial TSS (16.00 °Brix), which decreased to 5.00 °Brix on day 10, whereas Exsotic exhibited the lowest TSS at the end of storage (3.50 °Brix). In conclusion, storage at room temperature was associated with increased weight loss and decreased TSS. Therefore, both parameters should be considered simultaneously when evaluating the postharvest quality of sweet corn.