Alternative control of the postharvest rot in tomato

Abstract

Brazil is a major tomato producer, but most production destined for domestic consumption because it does not fit to international standards. In this paper the effect of essential oils on physicochemical parameters and in control of postharvest pathogens in tomato fruits were investigated. The treatments evaluated were Cantus® (positive control), distilled water (negative control); essential oils to 1% of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), Clove (Caryophillus aromaticus) and Copaíba (Copaifera sp.). ® (positive control); via immersion of the fruit, followed by incubation in wet room / 24 hours. The fruits were immersed in the treatments, incubated ones in a humid chamber for 24 hours and kept in an air-conditioned room with a temperature of 25ºC. It were evaluated mass reduction, color hydrogen potential (pH), total soluble solids (TSS), total titratable acidity (TTA), total soluble solids and titratable acidity (TSS / TTA), maturation index and incidence of pathogens. The completely randomized design with forty-eight installments, totaling 192 fruits. Physicochemical analyzes in the three periods, one evaluation before incubation and two after. The physicochemical analysis after incubation were performed at 3 and 7 days of storage. Evaluations of incidence of pathogens and maturation were performed daily. For ATT parameters, TSS, pH and TSS / TTA no change resulting from the application of essential oils, resembling the results found in the literature. Treatments with essential oils did not show efficiency in the control of post-harvest pathogens, but it was noted that the rosemary oil controlled the ripening of fruits in postharvest.