EFFECT OF BEEWAX COATINGS ON PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES IN FRUITS OF SWEET ORANGE CV. “BLOOD RED”

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of bee wax coating on physiological changes in fruits of sweet orange cv. “Blood Red” at Horticulture Department, University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi during 2004-05. Bee wax at the rate of 1. 3 and 5% along with constant level of 0.5% benlate was used for proposed study. Results indicated that all waxing treatments maintained weight loss, firmness, pH, TSS, titartable acidity, TSS/acid ratio, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars, total sugars and ascorbic acid. In this study, bee wax used at the rate of 5% along with 0.5% banlate give better results for citrus storage than all other treatments and is recommended for waxing of Blood Red oranges kept at room temperature during the months of January, February and March in Rawalpindi conditions.