Temperature and Ultra Low Oxygen Effects and Involvement of Ethylene in Chilling Injury of ‘Rojo Brillante’ Persimmon Fruit

Abstract

The effects of storage temperature, inhibition of ethylene action by treatment with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) and ultra low oxygen (ULO) atmosphere on chilling injury (CI), fruit firmness and ethylene production in the astringent 'Rojo Brillante' persimmon fruit were investigated. CI symptoms were manifested as a very dramatic loss of firmness after fruit transfer from cold storage to shelf-life conditions (18 °C). During cold storage, fruit softening appeared more rapidly in fruit stored at the intermediate temperature of 10 °C than at 1 °C or 14.5 °C. Ethylene production increased with storage time at the chilling temperature (1 °C) but a sharp increase took place upon fruit transfer from 1 °C to ambient temperature. This ethylene increase was accompanied by a loss of fruit firmness associated with chilling damage development. A pre-treatment with the competitive inhibitor of ethylene action 1-MCP, at 1 μL/L, reduced firmness loss and mitigated CI damage but considerably increased ethylene production in fruit transferred to shelf-life conditions after a prolonged cold storage period. Collectively, these results suggest a role of ethylene in the reduction of flesh firmness and consequently in the induction of CI in persimmon fruit. Moreover, ethylene exerts a negative feedback regulation of cold-induced ethylene biosynthesis. Storage of 'Rojo Brillante' persimmon fruit under ULO (1.3-1.8% O₂, v/v) atmosphere did not affect the incidence of CI but reduced fruit astringency, suggesting that ULO may be an alternative postharvest storage system for 'Rojo Brillante' persimmon fruit.