The Postharvest Practices Research program will generate new knowledge to minimize postharvest losses through the mango supply chain in the U.S. It includes the following projects:
Evaluate the impact of different water quantities at different phenological stages to maximize yield, reduce alternate bearing, and increase water efficacy.
Increase productivity and quality of Ataulfo mangos, through the study and validation of techniques related to plant growth regulators on flowering, fruit set, and fruit development in Nayarit, Chiapas, and Guerrero.
Develop and validate a mathematical model under different environmental conditions in order to identify strategies to face future climate variability.
Increase the productivity and quality of mango for exportation using an integrated management of pruning, nutrition and the use of growth regulators that are friendly to the environment and to human health.
Provide technical assistance to fresh-cut industry to improve fresh-cut quality.
Determine the impact of a fresh-cut mango program on mango consumption and assess the technical feasibility of implementing the program.
Monitor and evaluate the quality of mangos at the retail level to identify the key disorder present in the market place (Phase 1).
Identify where problems are occurring and to determine practices responsible for the loss of quality.
Identify areas that need improvement and the best management practices that deliver consistently good fruit quality.
Make recommendations for Best Management Practices or needed research to improve mango quality.
Conduct a review of available printed and electronic sources of information about mango fertilization and nutrition and their effect on quality and production.
Interview the main researchers and consultants of the world that are working on the influence of mango fertilization & nutrition in quantitative and qualitative aspects of mango quality & production.
Identify future research needs and cooperative projects on mango nutrition & fertilization.
Select of the best treatments based on their biological effectiveness and easy acquisition of its ingredients and test them in the main varieties of mangos marketed in U.S.
Determine the minimum dose of biological effectiveness and measure its effect on the quality of mangos (Effect on maturity, color, firmness, degrees brix, flavor and weight loss).
Determine the consumer acceptance of selected mango cultivars (19-21).
The main objective is to identify what mango varieties consumers prefer.
The preferences will be classified by ethnicity, gender, age, and mango consumption frequency.
Determine postharvest handling and quarantine treatment tolerance of potential fresh and fresh-cut on selected commercial cultivars.
The top-ranked mango cultivars would be harvested and evaluated for:
Identify the set of genes involved in flowering.
Develop a molecular test that will monitor the physiological status of mango buds or leaves to determine the optimal moment of application of compounds that stimulate flowering.
Create an index that reflects the physiological status of the mango orchard.
Conduct a literature review to collect all the information available on biological pests control on mangos such as insects, mites, weeds and plant diseases and homeopathy.
Identify areas or specific subjects of research.
Determine the impact of a mango ripening program on mango consumption and to assess the technical feasibility of implementing the program.
Quantify the impact of a mango ripening program on mango sales and volume at the importer and retail level.
Sponsor UC-Davis ripeness course.
Conduct webinars to disseminate the ripening and mango handling information.
Assess the technical feasibility of implementing a mango ripening program considering: