The effect of preharvest coating with Potassium Silicate, Chitosan and calcium chloride on mango "Zebda Cv." fruits storability was study during two successive seasons, 2014 and 2015. Mango fruits were coated with Chitosan at 1%, Potassium Silicate at 2000 and 3000 ppm, Calcium Chloride at 2 and 4 % or the combination among the first treatment and four other treatments in addition distilled water as comparison treatment two weeks before anticipated commercial harvest. At maturity stage, fruits were harvested and directly transported to the laboratory were washed and dried then packaged in carton boxes and stored at 13ºC ±1°C and 85-90 % relative humidity for 5 weeks. Fruit samples were taken at harvest and at one week intervals during cold storage to evaluate fruit quality characteristics and storability. This experiment revealed that, preharvest coating of "Zebda" mango fruits with all studded coating compounds significantly reduced all physiological postharvest process and delayed fruit aging and deterioration. Moreover, this study confirmed that, the combination treatments effectively increased fruit storability and shelf life in comparison with the control and single treatments.
This study illustrated that, fruits preharvest coating with the combination of chitosan 1 %, potassium silicate at 2000 or 3000 ppm and calcium chloride at 2 or 4 % as coating treatments at two weeks before harvesting are a promising strategy for keeping mango "Zebda Cv." fruits quality and increasing its storability and shelf life up to four weeks at 13ºC ±1°C and 85-90 % RH.