Temperature and relative humidity during cold storage of 'Montenegrina' tangerine

This research was conducted in order to evaluate the effect of temperature and relative humidity (RH) on the quality of tangerines during cold storage. The experimental design was entirely randomized, in a bifatorial design with eight replications of 15 fruits. The treatments were the combination of three temperatures (2, 3 and 4 degrees C) and two RH levels (90 and 96%). Evaluations of quality were performed after 8 and 12 weeks of cold storage plus 3 days of shelf life at 20 degrees C. The analyzed parameters were: total titratable acidity (TTA), total soluble solids (TSS), fruits consistency, rot incidence and juiciness. According to the results, fruits stored at 3 degrees C + 90% of RH presented higher TTA, TSS, fruits consistency and lower rot incidence after 8 and 12 weeks of cold storage. The rot incidence increased with high RH (96%). Some pitting caused by low temperature was found at 2 degrees C. There was no difference between treatments for juiciness in both evaluations. The temperature of 3 degrees C with 90% of RH showed the best results on quality maintenance of 'Montenegrina' tangerines, which can be stored during 8 weeks.