The impact of 1‐MCP treatment and controlled atmosphere storage on the postharvest performance of four ( Chaenomeles japonica (Thunb.) Lindl. ex Spach) fruit cultivars

Abstract

Japanese quince (JQ) shows climacteric behavior that is respiration takes place during ripening. Phytochemical processes during fruit storage cause changes in quality; thus, relevant storage conditions are to be identified to sustain fruit quality over the storage time. The present work aimed to evaluate the effect of 1-MCP treatment and controlled atmosphere (CA) storage on the quality of JQ fruit. Two experiments during the 2017 and 2018 seasons were carried out with four JQ cultivars. Better maintenance of fresh weight was observed in the case of CA storage, although the degree of effectiveness was cultivar and growing season dependent. The best preservation of JQ fruit phytochemicals, for example, total phenolics, proanthocyanidins, and vitamin C has been reached when the CA system was employed. In turn, no clear effect of either CA or 1-MCP on fruit soluble solids and total acids content was observed for JQ fruit after long-term storage. Practical application In recent years, there have been many studies centered on the evaluation of the chemical composition of Japanese quince (JQ) fruits revealing that these fruits are a good source of valuable compounds for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Currently, the fruit of JQ are processed for many food products, thus leading to the intensive diversification of planting areas. It is expected that the market share of JQ will increase double or triple in the future. To ensure the quality of JQ during storage, proper storage technology needs to be identified. Acquired data in this study are of potential interest to growers and industries dealing with JQ fruit processing and storage.