Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Sunburn is a physiological disorder observed in several subtropical and tropical fruit species in the Mediterranean Basin, including mango. To mitigate its effects, kaolin has proven to be a promising and cost-effective solution, helping reduce sunburn damage while enhancing fruit yield and quality. In this study we aimed to investigate the efficacy of kaolin (applied both as powder and as a water-based solution) against incidence and severity of sunburn damage, and its effects on physio-chemical characteristics of fruits from two major mango varieties (‘Glenn’ and ‘Maya’). The binary logistic regression model revealed a higher efficiency of Liquid Kaolin among all treatments with a 68% reduction in the odds of sunburn occurrence. Dust and Liquid Kaolin treatments significantly delayed sunburn onset compared to the control group, respectively 41 days and 47 days after the first treatment. A notable increase in sunburned fruits was observed as fruit development progressed. Sunburn incidence was approximately 24% higher during the fruit maturity stage compared to the fruit development stage. Kaolin treatments had no influence on physio-chemical characteristics of the fruits including colouring, sugar content and acidity.
Source: Applied Fruit Science
Authors: Serena Bellitti, Matteo Mezzano, Mark Massaad, Giovanni Gugliuzza, Dario Scuderi, Vittorio Farina
Institutions: University of Palermo, University of California, Davis
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,390
OpenAlex ID: W4414394841