ABSTRACT The experiment was conducted to determine the effect of integrated postharvest chemical, packaging and storage treatments on weight loss and sugar content of cactus pear fruits. The treatments were factorial combinations of chemical (Control, 0.022 mM Salicylic Acid, and 27 mM CaCl2), two packaging (unpackaged and packaged with polyethylene sheet) and two storage condition (ambient and evaporative cooler (EC)) in completely randomized design with three replications. Temperature and relative humidity of storage environments, weight and decay loss, and reducing and total sugar content of cactus pear fruits were recorded during 21 days of storage. EC significantly maintained parameters of cactus pear fruits tested by reducing mean temperature 2.81°C and increasing relative humidity by 11%. Packaging also reduced weight and decay loss and maintained sugar contents. Similarly, CaCl2 treatment enabled better retention of weight and sugar content of cactus pear fruits followed by Salicylic acid. Hence, integrated use of CaCl2, packaging and EC are recommended to maintain lower weight and decay loss and higher reducing and total sugar contents and to extending shelf life of cactus pear fruits.

中文翻译：

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综合处理措施下仙人掌梨 [Opuntia Ficus-indica (L.) Mill.] 果实采后重量和糖含量的变化

摘要 本实验旨在确定采后综合化学处理、包装和储存处理对仙人掌梨果实的减重和糖含量的影响。处理是化学品（对照、0.022 mM 水杨酸和 27 mM CaCl2）、两种包装（未包装和用聚乙烯片包装）和两种储存条件（环境和蒸发冷却器 (EC)）在完全随机设计中的因子组合，其中三个复制。在 21 天的储存期间，记录了储存环境的温度和相对湿度、重量和腐烂损失以及仙人掌梨果实的还原糖和总糖含量。通过将平均温度降低 2.81°C 并将相对湿度增加 11%，EC 显着保持了仙人掌梨果实的参数。包装还减少了重量和腐烂损失并保持了糖含量。同样，CaCl2 处理能够更好地保留仙人掌梨果实的重量和糖含量，其次是水杨酸。因此，建议综合使用 CaCl2、包装和 EC 以保持较低的重量和腐烂损失以及较高的还原糖和总糖含量，并延长仙人掌梨果实的保质期。