Preharvest factors role in physiological deterioration

A) Temperature:

• Fruits exposed to sun results in blotchy ripening.
• Larger fruits are more susceptible because of lower heat transfer coefficient resulting from their relatively smaller surface to volume ration.

B) Moisture Stress:

• Imbalance in moisture status of sol and outside environment causes cracking of fruits.
• Cracking of fruits is severe when water stress is followed by rainfall.

C) Mineral nutrition:

• Calcium deficiency causes blossom end rot in tomato and capsicum, eggplant, squash, etc,
• Calcium deficiency also causes cracking in fruits, and spongy tissue of mango.
• Some other symptoms include Internal breakdown of mango, bitter pit in apple, Jonathan Spot.
• Boron deficiency includes lumpiness in papaya, cork spot in pear, Black head in cauliflower, etc.
• Excess nitrogen causes stem end rind breakdown of citrus.
• Copper deficiency causes exanthema.