Edible Coatings to Enhance the Storage Potential of Guava (Psidium guajava L.) Fruit cv. Hisar Safeda

The study titled “Edible coatings to enhance the storage potential of guava (Psidium guajava L.) cv. Hisar Safeda” was conducted in the Horticulture Laboratory, P.G. Department of Agriculture, Khalsa College, Amritsar, during 2023–2024. Guava fruits were treated with different concentrations of chitosan (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%) and corn starch (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%) and stored under cold storage conditions (5°C and 95% RH) for 15 days. Treated and untreated fruits were evaluated on the 5th, 10th, and 15th day of storage for various physio-chemical parameters. The experiment was conducted using a Factorial Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Results revealed that chitosan at 1.5% was the most effective treatment in delaying fruit ripening and maintaining quality during storage. Fruits coated with 1.5% chitosan showed the lowest physiological loss in weight and spoilage % of fruit, total soluble solids (TSS), sugars, total phenols, thereby extending the storage life and marketability of guava fruits up to 15 days.