Effect of the application timing of 1-MCP on postharvest traits and sensory quality of a yellow-fleshed kiwifruit

Abstract

Chile is the third largest exporter of kiwifruit in the world. Its varietal production has traditionally been focused on green-fleshed kiwifruit varieties, with ‘Hayward’ being the most exported variety. ‘Soreli’ is a new Italian kiwifruit variety, which is characterized by its early ripening, big size, sweet taste, as well as its yellow flesh. This gives ‘Soreli’ a good opportunity to promote the consumption of yellow-fleshed varieties, and a wider assortment of kiwifruit in the market. The aim of this work is to evaluate postharvest traits and consumer acceptance in kiwifruit var. ‘Soreli’, with a combination of storage temperatures of 0 °C and 20 °C and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) applications.Cold storage and 1-MCP treatments caused a positive response in kiwifruit var. 'Soreli'. In the case of fruits stored at 20 °C, 1-MCP treatment extended the postharvest life of the fruits at least 3 weeks while the fruits stored in cold at 0 °C treated with 1-MCP reached 8 weeks. In general, the respiration rate was higher in the control treatments with respect to the 1-MCP treatments, as well as the ethylene emission occurred earlier in the control. In addition, the kiwifruit sensory quality attributes were adequate in all cases, reaching a medium or high acceptability in the evaluation panel.