Effect of Calcium Chloride on Fruit Quality and Shelf Life of Red Velox Apple

Jammu and Kashmir enjoys a vital place among temperate fruits due to its agro-climatic conditions. The only apple variety Ambri is indigenous to Kashmir while as all other varieties were introduced from outside. The famous Delicious varieties were introduced by (Samuel Nicholar Stokes) a resident of USA in 1918 at Kotgarth in Shimla hills. Calcium (Ca2+) has been extensively reviewed as both an essential element and its potential role in maintaining both pre and postharvest quality of fruit crops. Management of crop production which provides fruit at harvest with mineral nutrient levels sufficiently high and in balance that the fruit have a low risk of disorders and have optimal storage properties. Pre harvest spray at the highest concentration 0.3 % combined with dip at 8.0% of CaCl2 had a significant effect on fruit length, diameter which in turn significantly affected fruit weight and size in Red Velox apple. Foliar sprays of calcium (0.3%) in combination with fruit dip (8.0%) significantly increased TSS, fruit firmness and reduced weight loss during storage. The importance of calcium in apple fruit is its role in contributing to the maintenance of optimum quality during postharvest storage and fruit ripening. This role is seen directly in the prevention of specific disorders such as bitter pit, and in relationships between calcium and more general quality properties such as flesh firmness. Calcium application maintains cell turgor, membrane integrity, tissue firmness and delays membrane lipid catabolism, extending storage life of fresh fruits.