• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2012

Quality deterioration during storage such as weight and fruit firmness loss after harvest is one of the main problems in summer cultivation of mini paprika. Objective of this study was to determine appropriate storage temperature and duration in the mini paprika('Hivita Yellow' and 'Hivita Red'). More fruit firmness loss during storage was observed at higher storage temperature. Fruit firmness of 'Hivita Yellow' at $20^{\circ}C$ was $99.6g/cm^2$ after a 5-day storage whereas that decreased by $73.0g/cm^2$ after a 40-day storage. Storing 'Hivita Yellow' at $8^{\circ}C$ showed the lowest fruit firmness loss with 109.7 and $92.7g/cm^2$ after a 5-day and a 40-day storage, respectively. In both cultivars, soluble solids content of fruits was higher at $20^{\circ}C$ than at 4, 8 and $12^{\circ}C$. Higher temperature triggered more water loss of the fruits with more occurrence of soft rot and shriveling symptoms. The changes in electrolyte conductivity of fruits during storage was higher in the fruits at lower temperature. Fruit stored at $20^{\circ}C$ showed the highest respiration(more $CO_2$ and less $O_2$) during storage than fruits at the other storage temperatures.