~ 1414 ~ Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2019; 8(1): 1414-1417 E-ISSN: 2278-4136 P-ISSN: 2349-8234 JPP 2019; 8(1): 1414-1417 Received: 07-11-2018 Accepted: 09-12-2018 Narendra Kumar Yadav College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, SKUAST-Kashmir, Shalimar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Ahmad Ali College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, SKUAST-Kashmir, Shalimar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Rishabh Dev College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, SKUAST-Kashmir, Shalimar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Mahesh Pandurang Asabe College of Technology and Engineering (CTAE), Udaipur, Rajasthan, India Mohd Abass Department of Horticulture, SKUAST-Kashmir, Shalimar, Jammu and Kashmir, India \Correspondence Narendra Kumar Yadav College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, SKUAST-Kashmir, Shalimar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Evaluation of physical properties of different grades of kinnow mandarin Narendra Kumar Yadav, Ahmad Ali, Rishabh Dev, Mahesh Pandurang Asabe and Mohd Abass Abstract The present study shows that the post-harvest physical properties data of fruits and vegetables are important in adoption and design of various handling, packaging, storage and transportation systems. Physical properties namely, length, width, thickness, sphericity, volume, projected area, weight loss, bio yield point and firmness were determined with respect to storage period. At the end of 11 days storage, the fruit cumulative weight loss in ambient conditions was 19.4%. Bio yield point, firmness of kinnow fruits decreased with respect to number of days of storage. The firmness of kinnow fruit was significantly higher in stem-calyx axis in vertical position than that in horizontal position. Keywords: Physical properties, moisture content, kinnow, storage Introduction The mechanical harvesting of fruits causes damage from branches and other fruits as fruit falls from the tree and drops on the ground. These damages are in the form of splits, punctures and bruises. Further damage is caused when it is raked, picked up, loaded and transported to distant places by trucks [6] . Generally, it takes several days in transportation from one place to another that causes various changes in physico-mechanical properties of fruits [5] . The post- harvest mechanical properties data of fruits and vegetables are important in adoption and design of various handling, packaging, storage and transportation systems. The fruit compression test simulates the condition of static loading that fruit can withstand in mechanical handling and storage. The most common practice to determine the fruit ripeness in field situation is pressing with ball of the thumb. Force deformation characteristics of fruits beyond the elastic limit may be important to simulate the destruction that occurs in bruising. Elastic modulus or Young’s modulus is often used by engineers as an index of product firmness 7 . Puncture tests are also measures of firmness of fruits and vegetables to estimate harvest maturity or post-harvest evaluation of firmness 3 . Research has been carried out for several years to determine the resistance of fruits and vegetables to compression force [4] . There is a dearth of information on post-harvest physico-mechanical properties changes of kinnow peel and fruit under ambient storage conditions which are helpful to decide handling, packaging, storage, and transportation systems to be adopted and their designs. The objective of this paper is to report changes in basic physical and textural properties of kinnow fruit under ambient storage conditions. During storage the loss of moisture from the peel is continuously replenished by the movement of the moisture from the pulp. If this loss due to combined effect of respiration and transpiration goes on unchecked, the fruit shrivels up and becomes unmarketable [1] . Materials and Methods Kinnow fruits were procured from experimental orchard of ICAR- CIPHET ABOHAR (Punjab), India. Random samples were drawn from a freshly harvested lot of citrus at the time of harvest, and were washed by water, drained by tissue paper to remove droplets of water present on the surface. The purpose of washing was not only to remove field soil and surface microorganisms but also to remove fungicides, insecticides and other pesticides from the kinnow. Fruits were divided into three lots each consisting of 20 fruits. One lot of fruits was taken into ventilated corrugated fiberboard box and kept in ambient conditions (16.8±2°C, 50±8 % RH). Post-harvest physical properties of kinnow fruits were determined with respect to the storage period in ambient conditions.