Standardisation of Active Modified Atmosphere Storage in Indi Lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) Fruits

Indi lime ( Citrus aurantifolia Swingle), commonly known as Kagzi lime, is an important citrus fruit cultivated widely in the northern districts of Karnataka, particularly in the Indi region of Vijayapura. Despite its economic and nutritional importance, lime fruits are highly perishable and suffer considerable postharvest losses due to rapid physiological deterioration, microbial decay and improper storage conditions. Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) is a promising postharvest technology that alters the gaseous environment surrounding the produce to reduce respiration, delay senescence and extend storage life. The present study was conducted during the year 2023–24 at the Department of Postharvest Management, College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bengaluru, to standardize active modified atmosphere storage conditions for Indi lime fruits. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design with five treatments and four replications using LDPE bags (250 µm) with different gas compositions viz. , passive MAP (control), 4% O₂ + 2% CO₂ + 94% N₂, 6% O₂ + 4% CO₂ + 90% N₂, 8% O₂ + 6% CO₂ + 86% N₂ and 10% O₂ + 8% CO₂ + 82% N₂. Fruits were stored at 10 ± 2°C and evaluated at 10-day intervals for physiological, biochemical and sensory parameters. Results revealed that active MAP significantly influenced fruit quality during storage. Treatment T ₄ (8% O₂ + 6% CO₂ + 86% N₂) was found to be the most effective in maintaining fruit quality by reducing physiological loss in weight, preserving firmness and colour, maintaining moisture content, lowering respiration rate and delaying biochemical changes compared to passive MAP. The treatment also recorded better sensory acceptability and reduced decay incidence. Thus, indi lime fruits stored under T ₄ (8% O₂ + 6% CO₂ + 86% N₂) conditions maintained acceptable quality for up to 60 days of cold storage, followed by a short shelf life under ambient conditions.