Vol. 84 No: 2

Title:
1-Methylcyclopropene treatment and bruising of different apple cultivars during storage

Authors:
SEOK-KYU JUNG and CHRISTOPHER B. WATKINS

pp: 143-148

Abstract:
The effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment on the susceptibility of ‘Empire’, ‘Golden Delicious’, and ‘Fuji’ apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) fruit to bruising was investigated. Fruit were either untreated or treated with 1-MCP after overnight cooling, and impact bruising was assessed by measurements of bruise diameter and volume after 1 d, or after 1, 3, or 5 months storage in air at 0.5ºC. At each sampling time, the internal ethylene concentration (IEC) and flesh firmness of each fruit was measured, either while still cold (0.5ºC) or after warming for 24 h at 20ºC. Fruit were then impacted using drop heights of 30, 60, or 90 cm. 1-MCP treatment reduced IEC and resulted in firmer fruit in all cultivars. The extent of bruising was greatest in ‘Golden Delicious’, and lowest in ‘Empire’. Greater drop heights caused greater bruising. Longer storage times resulted in smaller bruise volumes in both cold and warm fruit of all cultivars, but bruise diameter was affected only in ‘Golden Delicious’. Responses of 1-MCP-treated fruit to impacts were affected by cultivar, fruit temperature, and by the method of bruise assessment. Overall, the bruise volume was 7% and 7.6% lower in 1-MCP-treated fruit of ‘Empire’ and ‘Golden Delicious’, respectively, than in untreated fruit, but was not significantly affected in ‘Fuji’. The bruise diameter was reduced (by 3.2%) only in ‘Golden Delicious’. Effects of 1-MCP on bruising were inconsistent during storage, but the results indicated that further study on the potential commercial benefits of 1-MCP is warranted.

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