CHILLING-INJURY SENSITIVENESS OF ´ROJO BRILLANTE´ PERSIMMON

The effect of cold storage on quality parameters of ‘Rojo brillante’ persimmon was studied in two consecutive years.
Persimmon fruits were stored at 1 or 15°C for 15, 30 or 50 days.
After cold storage periods fruit were submitted to deastringency treatment with high levels of CO₂ and then held at 20°C for 6 or 8 days to simulate shelf-life.
Ethylene and CO₂ production, firmness, external color, weight loss, soluble solids and juice volatiles concentrations were evaluated.
This cultivar presented evident chilling injury symptoms when stored at 1°C during 15 days.
The most important disorder was the drastic flesh softening that occurred when fruit were transferred from cold storage to shelf-life conditions.
Acetaldehyde production and calyx abscission also appeared as possible responses to chilling stress.
Values of ethylene and CO₂ production were very low and no significant changes were observed during storage.
Storage temperature did not affect soluble solids content.
Although at 15°C, persimmons maintained high quality during 15 days plus shelf-life, after 30 days the values of firmness were very low.
Therefore extended storage is not possible at this temperature.

V International Postharvest Symposium

A. Salvador, L. Arnal, A. Monterde, J. Cuquerella

firmness, softening, quality, cold storage, temperature

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2005.682.146