Effect of Preharvest Application of CPPU and Perforated Packaging on the Postharvest Quality of Red-Fleshed Pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus sp.) Fruit

Pai-Tsang Chang

doi:10.3390/horticulturae7080253

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the preharvest application of forchlorfenuron (CPPU) and perforated polyethylene bag packaging (PPE) on maintaining the postharvest quality of red-fleshed cv. ‘Da-Hong’ pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus sp.) fruit. On the flowering day, 100 mg·L−1 CPPU was sprayed on the bracts and water was used as the control. After harvest, all fruits were divided into three package treatments, which were packed without bags, packed with and without PPE bags, and stored at 5 ± 0.5 °C and 90 ± 5% relative humidity for 21 days, followed by 7 days at 20 °C and 75 ± 5% relative humidity without bags for quality evaluation. Significantly higher bract thickness (2.26 vs. 1.44 mm), longer fruit length (120.5 vs. 109.04 mm), and greater firmness (1.56 vs. 1.04 kg·cm−2) were recorded for the CPPU treated fruit at harvest. Preharvest application of CPPU with perforated packaging resulted in significantly greener bracts, a lower yellow index, fewer chilling incidences, and a lower decay ratio, but there was a slight decrease in respiration rate during cold storage at 5 °C for 21 days. However, all criteria reached the threshold when fruits were transferred to 20 °C for 7 days. In conclusion, preharvest CPPU application plus perforated packaging is the best combination for the long-term storage of red-fleshed pitaya fruit at 5 °C.

Highlights

Introduction and Tianbao YangRed-fleshed pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus sp.) is a non-climacteric fruit newly grown in many countries because of its attractive color and nutritional properties [1,2,3]
Pitaya fruits are very susceptible to chilling injury (CI) if they are stored at 0 ◦ C for 12 to 15 days, or for up to 21 days at 6 ◦ C, leading to fruit decay, weight loss, bract browning, peel desiccation, and fruit softening [6,8,9]
The CPPU did not show a significant effect on fruit width (W) or fresh weight (FW)

Summary

Introduction

Introduction and Tianbao YangRed-fleshed pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus sp.) is a non-climacteric fruit newly grown in many countries because of its attractive color and nutritional properties [1,2,3]. When horticultural crops are harvested, the first postharvest challenge is water loss through transpiration, resulting in reduction in quality and storage period [5]. Pitaya fruit that are not properly handled and stored experience postharvest problems such as bract withering, bract browning, and water loss, leading to distraction and affected marketability [6]. A lower storage temperature is applied effectively for reducing respiration rates, water loss, ethylene sensitivity, and decay occurrence, resulting in a longer storage life for fresh horticultural products [7]. Pitaya fruits are very susceptible to chilling injury (CI) if they are stored at 0 ◦ C for 12 to 15 days, or for up to 21 days at 6 ◦ C, leading to fruit decay, weight loss, bract browning, peel desiccation, and fruit softening [6,8,9]. A storage temperature between 5 ◦ C and 10 ◦ C is recommended to avoid chilling injury depending on pitaya fruit varieties [8,10,11,12,13]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion