The present work evaluated the influence of PVC film on the postharvest shelf life of four cultivars of okra stored at room temperature. The experiment was arranged in random blocks, in sub split parcels, where the parcels were a factorial 2x4, with and without PVC film and the cvs. Amarelinho, Red Velvet, Star of David and Mammoth Spinless, and the subparcels the six sample time with four blocks. The characteristics evaluated were: percentage of weight loss, relative water content, total chlorophyll and chlorophyll a and b, content of vitamin C, visual browning. The PVC was efficient in controlling the weight loss and retained the water content through storage. The lowest losses were observed for the cvs. Amarelinho and Star of David, without and with PVC, respectively. There was higher retention of vitamin C in the fruits wrapped with PVC and the cvs. Red Velvet and Star of David kept higher content of it. In general, the cv. Mammoth Spinless kept higher content of chlorophyll. The higher incidence of browning was in fruits stored without PVC. The Red Velvet had better shelf life due to lower browning.
Abelmoschus esculentus; storage; vitamin C
