Abstract
Experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on chilling injury disorders and quality maintenance of harvested okra (Hibiscus esculentus L.) fruit during storage at low temperature. Okra fruit were treated with 1 or 5μlL−1 1-MCP for 16h before storage for 18d at 7°C. Application of 1-MCP significantly alleviated the development of chilling injury disorders such as browning and pitting in okra pods in a concentration-dependent pattern, which was associated with lower membrane permeability and lipid peroxidation. In addition, 1-MCP treatment inhibited the decreases in color parameters (hue angle, lightness and chroma) and chlorophyll degradation, indicating that the bright green color in 1-MCP-treated fruit was well maintained. Furthermore, 1-MCP reduced the chilling-induced decline in variable:maximal chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm), an indicator of stress injury in plant tissues. Moreover, significantly lower respiration rate in 1-MCP-treated okra was also observed than in control fruit. Overall, 1-MCP treatment showed great potential to reduce the development of chilling injury disorders and maintain fruit quality, which may be a promising technique to extend the storage life of okra pods at low temperature.
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