Calcium chloride and salicylic acid, in combination with hot water, retained the postharvest quality of tomato fruits

Abstract

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most widely cultivated and consumed fruits worldwide. However, its perishable nature results in huge postharvest loss, especially under tropical conditions. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of calcium chloride (CaCl₂), salicylic acid (SA), and hot water treatment (HWT) on postharvest quality and shelf life of tomato fruits under ambient conditions. The experiment followed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) consisting of eight treatments: control, 6% CaCl₂, 6% CaCl₂ + HWT, 150 ppm SA, 150 ppm SA + HWT, HWT, 6% CaCl₂ + 150 ppm SA, and 6% CaCl₂ + 150 ppm SA + HWT, each replicated three times. A total of 240 breaker-tomato fruits of uniform size were used. Parameters such as cumulative weight loss, total soluble solids (TSS), vitamin C content, titratable acidity, firmness, color change, disease incidence, disease severity, and shelf life were recorded at regular intervals. CaCl₂ significantly delayed ripening, reduced total soluble solids, and preserved firmness. Salicylic acid, either alone or in combination, retained more vitamin C. However, the combined application of CaCl₂, SA, and HW most effectively maintained postharvest quality attributes compared to other treatments. The lowest cumulative weight loss (6.46%) and disease incidence were also recorded for the combined application of CaCl₂, SA, and HW. The synergistic interaction among Ca, SA, and HW substantially reduced physiological degradation and microbial decay, thereby extending the shelf life of treated tomatoes by several days compared to the untreated control group. The findings demonstrate that the integrated use of CaCl₂, SA, and hot water offers an effective and safe strategy for prolonging the postharvest life and marketability of tomatoes in tropical environments.