Combined Effects of Hot Water and Eucalyptus Leaf Extract on the Storability of Cyprus Local Mandarin

Abstract

Current work was conducted to evaluate the influences of hot water dipping (HWD) treatment and its combination with Eucalyptus leaves on the postharvest storability of Cyprus local mandarins. This experiment consisted of five different treatments, which are: 1) control (dipping fruits into tap water for 3 min); 2) hot water dipping (HWD) at 55 °C for 2 min; 3) hot water dipping (HWD) at 55 °C for 3 min; 4) hot water dipping (HWD) + Eucalyptus leaf (EL) at 55 °C for 2 min; and 5) hot water dipping (HWD) + Eucalyptus leaf (EL) at 55 °C for 3 min. According to the main findings of current work, HWD alone or in combination with the Eucalyptus leaf are effective for preventing the weight loss and protection of some other quality parameters. Overall all, results suggested that the incorporating Eucalyptus leaves into the HWD treatment improves the efficacy of the HWD, and makes it possible to reduce the dipping duration required for higher positive impact on the postharvest fruit quality.