Abstract

Reducing spoilage and uneven ripening during storage is critical for the mango export industry. This study evaluated a postharvest treatment combining 15- min wood smoke (SM) exposure with tangerine oil (TO) vapors at 0.04%, 0.08%, and 0.12% to accelerate ripening, enhance quality, and suppress anthracnose. Results indicated that SM combined with TO 0.08% rapidly stimulated ethylene production, initiating at 6 h (0.2–0.3 µmol/kg) and reaching 0.48 µmol/kg by 12 h, thus promoting uniform ripening within 18 h. Treated mangoes developed a bright yellow color and remained largely free of fungal contamination for over 7 days, with only 10% disease incidence by day 10 at 30 ± 2°C. The treatment also formed a thin protective coating on the fruit surface, reducing water loss, maintaining firmness, and improving ripening quality. Moreover, phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were increased, contributing to inhibition of fungal spore germination. Mangoes treated with SM+TO 0.08% remained storable and transportable for at least 10 days without refrigeration, whereas control fruit spoiled within 3–5 days. This approach provides a cost-effective postharvest strategy to enhance quality of mango and support long-distance distribution without cold storage.