Postharvest physiology and quality of bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.)
Ru-Jing Zong, Leonard Morris and Marita Cantwell
Postharvest Biology and Technology Vol: 6 Issue: 1-2 Pages: 65-72.
1995
บทคัดย่อ
Developing fruits of Momordica charantia, known as bitter melon,
bitter gourd or balsam pear, were harvested at horticultural maturity and
stored up to 14 days in humidified air at different temperatures. Respiration
rates of fruits at 20 and 10°C were approximately 40 and
15 
l
CO2 g-1 h-1, respectively. Ethylene production
rates at these temperatures were 0.1-0.3 nl g-1 h-1.
Fruits stored for >8 days at 7.5°C showed severe chilling
symptoms (decay, pitting and discoloration) and typical chill-induced
respiratory and ethylene production increases after transfer to 15°C.
Fruit quality was best maintained if bitter melon were stored at 10 and 12.5°C.
Fruits at 15°C continued to develop, showing undesirable changes
including seed development, loss of green color, and fruit splitting. Immature
fruit maintained postharvest quality better than fruit harvested at the fully
developed green stage. Bitter melon stored at 15°C in controlled atmospheres
(21, 5 or 2.5% O2 in combination with 0, 2.5, 5 or 10% CO2)
were not different in quality from air-stored fruits at 2 weeks. Fruits stored
3 weeks in 2.5 or 5% CO2 in combination with 2.5% O2
showed greater retention of green color and had less decay and splitting than
air-stored fruit.