INFLUENCE OF 1-METHYLCYCLOPROPENE ON THE BIOCHEMICAL RESPONSE AND RIPENING OF ‘SOLO’ PAPAYAS

Thaís Luri Ohashi,Leon Terry,Sofia Foukaraki,Marcos David Ferreira,Daniel Souza Corrêa

doi:10.1590/0100-29452016791

Abstract

ABSTRACT The market demand for tropical fruits has been growing steadily over the past two decades and global papaya production has grown significantly over the last few years. This sector, however, suffers greatly from postharvest losses due to reduced quantity and quality of fruits between harvest and consumption. The use of ethylene inhibitors after harvest could improve the final quality of the fruit to satisfy the consumer and also minimize waste. The physiological and biochemical responses of ‘Solo’ papayas treated with the ethylene inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) to extend storage shelf life and maintain quality during long-term storage are deeply discussed in this study. Papaya fruits arrived at Cranfield University (CU) and received a 24 h 1-MCP, being stored at 20 ºC for 10 days. The ethylene inhibitor 1-MCP application significantly delayed ‘Solo’ papaya ripeness on fruit storage by reducing respiration rate and ethylene production. There was a delay from 7 days in fruit firmness loss and the retention of green peel colour was increased. Inhibition of ethylene perception by 1-MCP did not prevent the accumulation of sugars and the mean values were similar and higher than those found for control fruits, which are possibly due to the lower reaction speed, leading to a higher accumulation.

Highlights

The quality of fruits and vegetables is closely associated with their physical features, such as surface colour, shape and firmness
The respiratory and ethylene climacterics were delayed in avocados treated with 1-MCP at 1 μL L-1 for 24 h at 20 oC (PATHIRANA et al, 2011), and it was reduced in mangosteens exposed to 1 μL L-1 for 6 h at 15 or 25 oC (PIRIYAVINIT et al, 2011) and tomatoes treated with 1 μL L-1 for 24 h at 20 oC (WANG et al, 2010)
Studies have shown less effective responses of this inhibitor in fruits at advanced maturation stages (LU et al, 2013; JUNG AND WATKINS, 2014). This was observed for pears as more advanced stage of the fruit development provided shorter inhibition time of ethylene production (GAMRASNI et al, 2010; CHIRIBOGA et al, 2013), which indicates that fruit maturation stage interferes with 1-MCP effective response on ethylene production. 1-MCP is characterized as a competitor for the cell ethylene binding site

Summary

Introduction

The quality of fruits and vegetables is closely associated with their physical features, such as surface colour, shape and firmness. 1-MCP is a gas that blocks the ethylene action by binding to its receptor on the cell membrane (IN et al, 2013), severely reducing the changes associated with ripening and extending the postharvest life of fruits and vegetables (PAUL et al, 2010; VIEIRA et al, 2012; WAGHMARE & ANNAPURE, 2013) This product is considered one of the most important tools in postharvest technology, both in storage and in the transportation of ethylenesensitive fruits, maintaining quality as if they were freshly harvested (EGEA et al, 2010; TIWARI & PALIYATH, 2011; TREVISAN et al, 2013). The compound concentration required to promote inhibition of the ethylene action varies according to the species, cultivar, maturation stage, temperature and exposure time, and the production of new ethylene receptors on the cell membranes (WATKINS AND NOCK, 2012; PEREIRA et al, 2013)

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