GAS EXCHANGES IN 1-METHYLCYCLOPROPENE TREATED ‘ABBÉ FÉTEL’ PEARS DURING STORAGE IN DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERES

Gas exchange rates were studied in ‘Abbé Fètel’ pears in relation to 1-MCP treatment (300 ppb) and storage atmosphere at -0.5°C (normal atmosphere, NA; controlled atmosphere, CA: 2 kPa O₂ + 0.7 kPa CO₂; dynamic low-O₂ controlled atmosphere, DLOCA: 0.7 kPa O₂ + 0.3 kPa CO₂). O₂, CO₂, ethylene and ethane were measured in different concentrations of O₂ (0, 0.1, 0.5, 2 and 21 kPa) and CO₂ (0 and 5 kPa) at -0.5°C, after 4 months storage. 1-MCP treated pears from all storage environments and control fruit stored in DLOCA showed aerobic respiration at pO₂ as low as 0.5 kPa, where control fruit stored in NA and CA showed anaerobic respiration. 1-MCP greatly reduced ethylene production rate (EP). In control fruit, maximum EP was achieved in conditions similar to those of the storage atmospheres, while in the lower O₂ (for NA stored fruit) or higher CO₂ (for CA and DLOCA stored fruit) EP was impaired.
With 5 kPa CO₂, ethane production rate (EthaP) was high in all fruit whatever the storage condition, 1-MCP treatment and pO_2. With 0 kPa CO₂, EthaP was lower with a maximum at 0.1 kPa O₂; in control fruit EthaP was absent at O₂ ≥ 2 kPa, while in 1-MCP treated pears low levels of ethane were produced even in 21 kPa O_2.

International Conference on Ripening Regulation and Postharvest Fruit Quality

A. Rizzolo, M. Vanoli, M. Grassi, P. Eccher Zerbini

fruit, respiration, oxygen, carbon dioxide, ethylene, ethane, fluorescence

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2008.796.16