Key Postharvest Diseases Affecting Mango Quality and Marketability

Mango postharvest diseases significantly impact the quality and marketability of mangoes, leading to substantial economic losses for producers and traders worldwide. Among the most prevalent postharvest diseases are anthracnose, stem-end rot, and black mold rot, which collectively contribute to millions of dollars in losses annually.

Anthracnose, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, is one of the most destructive diseases affecting mangoes. It manifests as dark, sunken lesions on the fruit’s surface, which can expand and coalesce, leading to extensive decay and spoilage. This disease is particularly insidious because it often remains latent until the fruit ripens, making it difficult to detect during the earlier stages of harvest or transport. The lesions often develop rapidly during ripening, rendering the fruit unsellable by the time it reaches the market. Furthermore, anthracnose thrives in humid environments, which are common in many mango-producing regions, exacerbating the spread of the disease.

Stem-end rot, caused by fungi such as Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Diplodia natalensis, typically begins at the stem end of the fruit and progresses inward, causing substantial losses, particularly during storage and transportation. The disease is characterized by dark, water-soaked lesions that extend from the stem into the flesh, leading to complete fruit rot if left unchecked. The transportation of mangoes over long distances in inadequate conditions can hasten the spread of stem-end rot, increasing the likelihood of entire shipments being compromised.

Black mold rot, caused by Aspergillus niger, is another common postharvest disease. It appears as black, powdery mold on the fruit’s surface and can penetrate deep into the flesh, causing extensive damage. While the mold is typically associated with poor storage conditions, such as excessive humidity and warmth, it can develop rapidly under suboptimal conditions, leading to significant economic losses.

Effective management of these diseases requires a holistic approach that includes both pre-harvest and postharvest strategies. Pre-harvest fungicide applications can reduce the initial inoculum, while proper harvesting techniques, including minimizing damage to the fruit, help limit entry points for pathogens. Postharvest treatments, such as hot water dips and fungicide applications, along with proper storage and handling, are essential in minimizing postharvest losses and preserving the quality of mangoes.
Key Postharvest Diseases Affecting Mango Quality and Marketability

Impact of Anthracnose on Mango Quality and Marketability

Anthracnose is a significant fungal disease that negatively impacts both the taste and quality of mangoes, rendering them less appealing to consumers. The disease manifests as large, sunken, black lesions on the fruit's surface, which not only diminishes the visual attractiveness but also leads to fruit rot if left untreated. These lesions are caused by the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, which thrives in warm, humid conditions—common in tropical and subtropical regions where mangoes are typically grown. The appearance of these unsightly black spots can deter consumers, who tend to prefer fruits that are vibrant and unblemished.

Beyond aesthetics, anthracnose alters the texture of mangoes. The infected areas of the fruit become soft and mushy, making the mango less enjoyable to eat. The once firm, juicy flesh becomes watery and disintegrates, contributing to an unappetizing experience. Furthermore, the disease affects the flavor profile of the mango. The infected tissue often develops a bitter taste, which can spread to the surrounding healthy portions of the fruit. This bitterness compromises the overall sweetness and enjoyment typically associated with ripe mangoes, making the fruit undesirable for consumption.

Moreover, anthracnose hastens the ripening process. This accelerated ripening leads to uneven development, where portions of the mango may remain underdeveloped while others become overly ripe. Such inconsistencies in ripening shorten the fruit's shelf life, limiting the time frame during which the mangoes can be sold or consumed. For farmers and retailers, this results in increased post-harvest losses.

Ultimately, the presence of anthracnose significantly reduces the marketability of mangoes. Consumers expect fruits to be not only visually appealing but also consistent in texture and flavor. Any deviation from these expectations—such as the mushy texture or bitter taste caused by the disease—lowers demand. Effective management of anthracnose is crucial to preserve the quality of mangoes, ensuring that they remain desirable to consumers and profitable for producers. Implementing preventive measures such as proper orchard management and timely fungicide application can help mitigate the spread of the disease and maintain the high standards expected by the market.
Impact of Anthracnose on Mango Quality and Marketability

Mango wine

Fruits are used to produce a variety of alcoholic beverages including different types of fruit wines, and their distillates are known as brandy. Mango is a tropical fruit highly suitable for use in the juice and wine industries, due to its deep brilliant golden orange color, strong aroma, good taste and excellent nutritional properties.

In general, different mango varieties have different taste and quality. Variety of mango used for own making showed a greater influence on quality of produce wine.

Higher alcohols may include certain sensory characteristics although they constitute a relatively lesser quantity of the total substances. The percentage of ethanol produced in mango wine is between 7% and 8.5% (w/v), when no sugar is added, and comparable with moderate grape wines.

Glycerol concentration in mango wines is between 5.7 and 6.9 g/L. Another parameter, which influences the quality of wine highly, is acidity. The main organic acid present in mango must and produced wine is malic acid; and the acids are less than 1g/L.

Esters have a critical importance in wine quality as they provide pleasant aroma sensations. In the mango wine produced from different varieties, the concentration of esters varied from 15 to 35 mg/L.
Mango wine

Packaging of mango fruit

Mangoes are traditionally known to have higher tolerance toward elevated CO2 concentrations. Mangoes can tolerate CO2 atmosphere of up to 25 kPa for 2 weeks at 12 °C. High (25kPa) CO2 inhibits ethylene production, but increase ethanol production.

For the domestic market, fruits may be packed in ventilated wooden boxes or corrugated cardboard boxes with a net capacity of 18-20 kg. Fruits should not be packed more than two layers deep.

Mangoes destined for the export market should be packed in ventilated cardboard cartons. One-layer flats with dividers with a maximum capacity of 8 kg may be used. If it is necessary to have more than one layer of mangoes in the package unit, then liners should be used to protect fruits from compression damage.

Packaging of mangoes is crucial in obtaining optimal; flavor. The fruits need to be ventilated well within the packages and packing of the fruit in polyethylene-lined cardboard boxes often results in off-flavor development due to accumulation of CO2 and suboptimal decrease in the oxygen concentration leading toward anerobiosis.

Micro-perforated film could prove more beneficial for mangoes packaging, as it prevented the accumulation so high levels of CO2 that can lead to off-flavors.

Biodegradable packaging films such as chitosan were found to be ideal compared with low density polyethylene (LDPE) films in retaining the overall flavor quality of the mangoes.

‘Tommy Atkins’ and ‘Keitt’ fruits could be stored for three weeks at 12 ° C when these were packed in4 kg film-lined cartons by sung micro-perforated polyethylene (PE) or Xtend film (XF). XF film was found to be very effective in reducing chilling injury and lowering the level of condensation inside the package due to lower relative humidity in the XF film (~90%) as compared to PE (~99%).

The use of bags should be avoided for packing mangoes. In addition being stackable, facilitating greater quantities per load for transportation, they offer better ventilation and greater protection against damage than bags.
Packaging of mango fruit

Mango wine

Mango is most usually eaten raw. However, production volumes of this fruit are high and large quantities are often wasted.

Those wasted mangoes can be used for production of jelly, wine and vinegar, which have an important added value as by-product. In general different mango varieties have different taste and quality.

Quality of mango wine depends on having the appropriate fruit maturity.
*an appropriate ripening stage
*the ration of mango flesh to water Variety of mango used for wine making showed a greater influence on quality of produced wine.

Higher alcohols may influence certain sensory characteristics although they constitute a relatively lesser quantity of the total substances.

The concentrations of higher alcohols varied significantly with the mango variety ranging from 131 to 343 mg/L. Approximately 500 mL of juice can be obtained from 1 kg of mangoes.

To produce 1L of wine, it requires approximately 1250 mL, as they would be fermentation and evaporation losses.
Mango wine

Mango squash

Mango juice can be made into mango nectar or squash and processed by any of the following methods:
*Spin cooker
*Flash pasteurization
*Pasteurization and aseptic packing in plastic-lined cartons

Juicy varieties of mango are preferred for making mango squash.  A mango squash contains a high percentage of sugar (60-65%) and should contain at least 25% fruit pulp.

Mango nectar and squash are similar in composition, except for the presence of a preservative: 0.1% sodium benzoate or 350 ppm SO2 in squash.

Mango squash formulation consists of blending 68% Brix syrup with mango puree, citric acid and potassium metabisulfite in various proportions depending on local state, government standards of identity, pH control, and fruit composition of the variety used.

The squash quality is evaluated on the basis of the following characteristics, pH, titrable acidity, soluble solids, ascorbic acid, specific gravity.
Mango squash