INFLUENCE OF 1-METHYLOCYCLOPROPENE (1-MCP) ON THE QUALITY AND STORABILITY OF ‘RED JONAPRINCE’ APPLES STORED IN DIFFERENT CONDITIONS

Abstract

The research was carried out on apples of the cultivar ‘Red Jonaprince’ in two storage seasons of 2015/2016 and 2016/2017. Both 1-MCP-treated and untreated apples were stored for 120 and 150 days at 2°C and 90–92% relative humidity in a regular cold store (NA) and in two atmospheric controlled storages, i.e. 2% CO2 and 2% O2 (CA) and 2% CO2 and 1.2% O2 (ULO). Apples were evaluated directly after the storage and after 7 days of simulated shelf-life. It was shown that storage conditions had significant impact on the value of apple quality traits. The effectiveness of the post-harvest 1-MCP treatment of apples manifested in different manner depending on the tested trait and storage conditions. 1-MCP delayed the softening of apples, but only those stored in CA and ULO. It effectively limited the decrease in titratable acidity, especially of apples from NA and ULO. A positive effect of 1-MCP in NA conditions on the soluble solids content was observed, as well as a reduction in the natural loss of weight and the percentage of fruits with the symptoms of fungal decay.

Keywords

• apples
• 1-MCP
• storage
• shelf life
• storability
• quality