The present post harvest investigation, aimed at studying the interaction effect of different packaging and cushioning material used during road transportation on chemical properties of fruits during ripening and storage of Alphoso mango fruits ,was undertaken at Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture,Dapoli, during mango cropping season of 2013-14 ,in Factorial randomized block design (FRBD), with three replications.Fruit harvested at “B” stage of physiological maturity, were packed in five different packaging materials (wooden box, bamboo basket (karandi), plastic crates, and corrugated fibre board boxes) and four cushioning materials (paddy straw, grass, tissue paper) followed by road transportation for 300km, were periodically assessed for different chemical changes during ripening and storage. Result indicated that, total soluble solids (T.S.S.), total sugars and pH of Alphonso mango fruits, registered an increasing trend from 0 DAP till 14 DAP. While declining trend was found in titratable acidity. However reducing sugars was found to increase from 0 DAP to 7 DAP but decreased further from 7 DAP to 14 DAP. Similarly,wooden box with paddy straw and CFB boxes with tissue paper recorded higher values for total soluble solids (16.70B and16.40B), and pH (3.07 and 3.06); whereas, CFB box with tissue paper, followed by wooden box with paddy straw, recorded higher values for total sugars (11.74% and 11.21%), reducing sugars (5.08% and 4.78%) and lower values for titratable acidity and PLW. Loose fruits without any cushioning material recorded significantly inferior values for above parameters hence found most inadvisable practice. Further all the packed fruits in their respective packaging and cushioning material were loaded on a truck in late. These fruits were transported to Ratnagiri and back to Dapoli (total300 kilometers and were moved to storage room.Thus amongst all different packaging and cushioning combinations tried,CFB boxes with tissue paper (P4C3), followed by wooden box with paddy straw (P1C1) were adjudged as best packaging and cushioning combinations for realising better fruit quality and shelf life of ripe Alphonso mango fruits.

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