ENDOGENOUS ETHYLENE MEASUREMENTS IN RELATION TO MATURATION AND SOFTENING IN KIWIFRUIT

Kiwifruit was harvested from 4 orchards in two locations (two at Rancagua and two at San Fernando). Orchards were selected based on previous information regarding different propensity to fruit softening.
Fruit ethylene production rates (PR) and internal ethylene concentration (IE) were measured at harvest and during postharvest on fruit kept for 24 days at 20°C. Internal ethylene concentration was shown to be a suitable alternative for determining status of this hormone in kiwifruit compared with the normal method of measuring ethylene production.
Depending upon ethylene levels present, IE showed a more defined increase throughout the harvest season and less variation between fruits within samples than PR ethylene measurements, thus allowing better discrimination than the more commonly used PR method.
Endogenous ethylene and firmness, measured after harvest at 20°C and during cold storage, were not well correlated, indicating that endogenous ethylene alone is not a viable tool for predicting postharvest kiwifruit softening.

IV International Symposium on Kiwifruit

P. Castillo, B. Defilippi, J. Retamales

ethylene production, internal ethylene concentration, ripening, softening potential, maturity, firmness

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1999.498.32