The effects of some post-harvest treatments on fruit quality and cold storage life of chestnuts

This thesis was conducted in order to determine the effect of some applications on fruit quality in order to extend the post-harvest life potential of chestnuts and therefore to extend the storage period. In the experiment, the local Kemer chestnut variety was used. After postharvest, putresin, salicylic acid, osmotic dehydration + hot air drying, dipped in hot water, curing and control group fruits were stored for 210 days (7 months) under %80-90 relative humidity conditions at 2±1⁰C. Some physical and chemical analyses were performed to determine the quality changes of chetnut samples at the beginning of storage and at intervals of 30 days. For this purpose; weight loss, moisture content, physical losses, shell and kernel color, total sugar and total starch content, phenolic substance and antioxidant activity were determined. For the shelf life part, the fruits removed from the cold storage every month were kept at 20⁰C for 4 days under %60 ± 5 relative humidity conditions and all analyzes performed during storage in the cold room were repeated. Depending on the storage period in chestnuts, acceptable physical losses occurred until the 6th month. Considering the physical and biochemical analysis, curing application has shown better results in increasing the ratio of marketable fruit and obtaining quality fruit compared to other applications. Key words: Chestnut, cold storage, putrescine, salicylic acid, hot water, curing, osmotic dehydration