Relationship of ripening parameters of “Alexander Lucas” pears according to orchard location, maturity stage and storage conditions

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of maturity stages at harvest (MS) on the inhibitory effects of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) and the ultralow oxygen (ULO) on the ripening and synthesis of aroma volatiles of “Alexander Lucas” pears, and if this effect remains in different orchards. Results show that 1-MCP inhibited ripening and aroma production in pears harvested early (MS1) from all orchards. The most suppressed character-impact compounds were ethyl (2E.4Z)-deca-2.4-dienoate, hexyl acetate, and pentyl acetate. Generally, significantly less of these compounds were found in MS1 pears from orchard 2 and more of these compounds were found in pears harvest delay (MS2) from orchard 3. Fruits MS2 treated with 1-MCP enabled the development of melting flesh and resulted in increased accumulation of esters to levels similar to fruits stored under CS. ULO storage also decreased the production of aromatic compounds but less strongly than 1-MCP. Practical applications There are few studies about the ripening and storage conditions of “Alexander Lucas” pear. The results of this investigation show that the orchard location is important and should be considered when choosing the storage condition. Furthermore, the reported results are important for establishing the proper storage conditions of “Alexander Lucas” pears in terms of achieving suitable quality during shelf life.