Enhancing Postharvest quality and shelf life of 'Zardalu' mango using melatonin treatment during ambient storage

Mango is a highly perishable fruit, which limits its marketability and consumer acceptance. Major issues impacting its storability include rapid softening, decline in nutritional quality and susceptibility to decay during postharvest storage. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the influence of postharvest application of melatonin at (0.1, 0.5 and 1 mM) on the quality and shelf life of mango cv. Zardalu stored under ambient conditions (temperature: 30 ± 2ºC; RH: 80 ± 5%). A post-harvest melatonin application was found to significantly reduce weight loss and decay while preserving fruit firmness, fruit quality attributes, and shelf life. Moreover, the molecular analysis of genes related to fruit softening i.e., MiPG, MiPME, and MiExpA1, revealed a significant down-regulation of gene expression with melatonin treatment. Melatonin application, particularly at 0.5 mM, effectively delays postharvest deterioration by modulating fruit softening at both physiological and molecular levels. Our findings highlight the potential of melatonin as an eco-friendly postharvest strategy to enhance shelf life, maintain fruit quality, and improve the marketability of mango under ambient conditions.