1-METHYLCYCLOPROPENE (1-MCP) FOR EXTENDING POSTHARVEST QUALITY OF ‘CUIGUAN’ PEARS (PYRUS PYRIFOLIA NAK.)

‘Cuiguan’ pears were harvested at 80% ripe stage, treated with 1-MCP at 1 µl•L^-1 for 15h at room temperature (25±2°C), and then stored at 20±2°C in unsealed plastic bags.
Fruit firmness, ethylene production, TA, SSC and MDA were determined at 5-day intervals, and development of black skin was also noted during storage.
Fruit treated with 1-MCP were firmer throughout storage compared with controls.
Firmness was 4.75 kg cm^-2 in fruit treated with 1-MCP on day 25 (last day of control), while only 4.02 kg cm^-2 in controls. 1-MCP not only delayed the ethylene climacteric peak by 10 d but reduced ethylene production rate as well.
The magnitude of the ethylene peak was 50% lower in fruit treated with 1-MCP than in control fruit.
Soluble solids content and titratable acidity, in fruit treated with 1-MCP were higher and malonyl dialdehyde levels were lower than in control fruit during storage. 1-MCP was very effective in preventing the development of black skin.
Black skin did not occur during storage in 1-MCP treated fruit, but it developed began appearing on control fruit after 15 d of storage.
These results indicated that 1-MCP had a positive effect on maintaining postharvest shelf-life of ‘Cuiguan’ pear fruits.

XXVII International Horticultural Congress – IHC2006: International Symposium on The Role of Postharvest Technology in the Globalisation of Horticulture

Youhong Chang, Jing Lin, Zhimei Yan

Asian pear, ethylene, ripening, physiological disorders, firmness

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2008.768.9