Efecto del grado de madurez y las condiciones de almacenamiento sobre las características fisicoquímicas de la papaya híbrido Pococí

papayas (híbrido pococí) were harvested from a field in cariari, guapiles, costa rica, with 4 maturity degrees, which were defined by the number of yellow stripes on the surface of the fruit (0, 1, 2 or 3 stripes). the objective was to understand changes in the physico-chemical characteristics that occur in papayas under 2 storage conditions: 1) 22oc and 85% rh (rt), or 2) 14oc and 95% rh (ct), both during 14 days, followed by room temperatures storage for 9 more days. at the beginning of the storage at rt (22oc), respiration rates of the fruits were low 6.3 to 13.3 ml.kg-1.h-1 co2, then an abrupt increase was observed between day 3 and 5. fruit respiration rates did not differ among treatments after 7 days, regardless of the differences in color stripes number at harvest (0, 1, 2 or 3 stripes). yellow coverage of the skin reached 75% of total area, after 7 days of storage for fruits picked with 2 or 3 yellow stripes, while fruits with one 1 stripe at harvest reached that color until day 9. pulp firmness decreased throughout storage, reaching values below 20 n (good for consumption) at day 7 (2 and 3 stripes) and 9 (1 stripe) of storage at rt. after storage at 14oc, fruit harvest at 1, 2 or 3 stripes showed similar respiration rates; an important increase was observed at day 5 at room temperature. development of the skin color increased for all stripes between day 3 and 7, reaching 75% of total at day 7. skin and pulp firmness of papaya fruits significantly decreased to 83% and 90%, respectively, after stored at 14oc. on the other hand, soluble solids content (ssc) and titratable acidity (ta) did not significantly varied during storage