1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) for Extending Postharvest Quality of Chinese Winter Jujube

Abstract

Chinese Winter Jujube (Zizyphus jujuba Mill.) is a kind of new fresh consumed jujube fruit with high quality originated in China, but its postharvest shelf-life is short at room temperature (often 7 days). A study was conducted to determine the effect on 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on changes in ethylene production, respiration rate, firmness, electrolyte leakage and vitamin C. Chinese Winter Jujube fruits harvested at half-red stage, were randomized into rigid, vented containers (0.5 m3; n = 5), treated with 1 μL·L-1 for 12h at room temperature (20 ± 2 °C), then stored at 20 °C. Fruits treated with 1-MCP had significant lower ethylene production, it showed 21% lower (0.128 μL·kg-1 per hour) at 8th day. Respiration rate had no significant difference between treated and control during the 12d storage. Firmness of treated fruits was from 15.4% to 26.3% higher than that of control, while the electrolyte leakage was from 12.2% to 27.4% lower than that of control. The content of vitamin C by 1-MCP treatment was 11.2% higher than control at the last day of storage (368 mg/100 g). The results indicated that 1-MCP had positive results on maintaining postharvest shelf-life of half-red stage of Chinese Winter Jujube fruit.