THE EFFECTS OF LOW OXYGEN STORAGE ON ASCORBIC ACID CONTENTS AND PREHARVEST AMINOETHOXYVINYLGLYCINE AND POSTHARVEST 1-METHYLCYCLOPROPENE ON FRUIT QUALITY FACTORS

Abstract

The ‘Gala’ apple is susceptible to development of a physiological storage disorder, stem end flesh browning (SEFB). A non-destructive meter that assesses chlorophyll content as an IAD value has been used as a way of better defining fruit maturity within a population of fruit to investigate: 1. the effects of low oxygen storage on ascorbic acid (AsA) contents and fruit quality factors, and 2. the effects of preharvest aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) and postharvest 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on fruit quality. 0.5% oxygen maintained fruit quality better than 2%. Peel tissues had the highest AsA both at harvest and during storage, while calyx tissues were highest among flesh tissues. AVG delayed fruit maturation, increased storage quality, and decreased SEFB incidence but not consistently reduced fruit to fruit variation. 1-MCP increased SEFB incidence. IAD value may be a useful indicator for determining risk of the incidence of SEFB but not as a consistent quality index after storage.