Factors associated with chilling injury of mango and potential mitigation strategies

Abstract

Mango is a highly valuable fruit crop grown extensively in tropical and subtropical areas, offering considerable nutritional and economic benefits. However, mangoes are susceptible to chilling injury when exposed to temperatures below 13°C during storage, resulting in substantial postharvest losses. This paper explores the factors contributing to chilling injury in mangoes, including pre-harvest genetic variability, climatic conditions, nutritional status, and post-harvest handling and storage practices. The cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying chilling injury, such as membrane integrity, enzymatic activities, ROS accumulation, and hormonal changes, are discussed. Various mitigation strategies are reviewed, including breeding for chilling-resistant varieties, optimal agronomic practices, controlled atmosphere storage, heat treatments, chemical treatments, and emerging technologies like nanotechnology and genetic engineering. The review provided aims to inform better management practices and technological innovations to reduce chilling injury in mangoes, enhancing their shelf life, postharvest qualities and marketability.