Effect of growth regulators on 'Brookfield' apple gas diffusion and metabolism under controlled atmosphere storage

Auri Brackmann,Rogerio De Oliveira Anese,Fabio Rodrigo Thewes,Vanderlei Both

doi:10.1590/s0100-204x2014000500001

Auri Brackmann, Rogerio De Oliveira Anese + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s0100-204x2014000500001

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Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of growth regulators on gas diffusion and on metabolism of 'Brookfield' apple, and to determine their correlation with quality characteristics of fruit stored in controlled atmosphere. A completely randomized design was used with four replicates. After eight months of storage, the effects of water (control), aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), AVG + ethephon, AVG + naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), ethephon + NAA, sole NAA, 1-MCP, ethylene absorption by potassium permanganate (ABS), AVG + ABS, and of AVG + 1-MCP - applied at different rates and periods - were evaluated on: gas diffusion rate, ethylene production, respiratory rate, internal ethylene concentration, internal CO2 content, mealiness, and intercellular space. Fruit from the control and sole NAA treatments had the highest mealiness occurrence. Growth regulators significantly changed the gaseous diffusion through the pulp of 'Brookfield' apple, mainly in the treatment AVG + ABS, which kept the highest gas diffusion rate. NAA spraying in the field, with or without another growth regulator, increased ripening metabolism by rising ethylene production and respiration rate, and reduced gas diffusion during shelf life. AVG spraying cannot avoid the ethephon effect during the ripening process, and reduces both the internal space and mealiness incidence, but it is not able to induce ethylene production or to increase respiration rates.

Highlights

After harvest, fruit continue the respiration pathways in which both O2 consumption and CO2 production occur
The advanced ripening stage is confirmed by the high internal ethylene concentration, ethylene production, respiration rate and, by higher mealiness incidence
Growth regulators change gaseous diffusion through the pulp of 'Brookfield' apples, and the AVG + absorption sachets (ABS) treatment delays ripening by controlling ethylene synthesis and keeping higher gas diffusion rates

Summary

Introduction

Fruit continue the respiration pathways in which both O2 consumption and CO2 production occur. Diffusion through apple pulp is essential to avoid an excessive decrease on O2 levels or an increase on internal CO2, which can interfere with the maintenance of postharvest quality. For any reason, gas exchange is hindered, the internal atmosphere changes, which can result in some physiological disorders (flesh browning and mealiness) and in a decrease of fruit quality after storage (Franck et al, 2007). Some growth regulators in use in Brazilian apple production can affect the gas diffusion, due to alterations on normal growth of fruit, on its development, and on the gas exchange, which lead to physiological disorders

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