INFLUENCE OF STORAGE CONDITIONS ON SOFTENING OF THE COLUMELLA

In Northern Italy a physiological disorder of kiwifruit after storage was frequently noticed; i.e. the non-softening of the core compared to that of the flesh ("hard columella"). Many observations showed a high incidence of hard-columella when controlled atmosphere (CA) storage was used particularly with early harvested fruit.
A method to evaluate the firmness of the columella was studied using a special star- shaped plunger.
The force required to pierce the core was then compared to the force required to pierce the flesh of a fruit.
A trial was made comparing different storage conditions for two years, using different ‘Hayward’ orchards.
The CA conditions used were 2% O₂ and 4% CO₂, and 5% O₂ and 8% CO₂, both with or without ethylene removal.

Significant differences were found between fruit stored in normal atmospheres with ethylene removal and fruit stored in CA. The highest incidence of hard-columella fruit was found in ethylene-free CA under both high and low CO₂ concentrations.
The interactions between CO₂ level and ethylene removal in CA appears to prevent the core from undergoing normal softening.

II International Symposium on Kiwifruit

A. Testoni

core, controlled atmosphere, firmness, ethylene, penetrometer

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1992.297.77