Search Results (128)

The duration of the effective harvest period is of great interest among growers. Longer periods enable better workload and optimization of operations. Decisions are typically made based on fruit drop and firmness. Preharvest spray treatment of Harvista™ (1-methylcyclopropene; AgroFresh Inc., Philadelphia, PA, USA) was applied to ‘Gala’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ apples to delay maturation. Apples were harvested 7–21 days and 7–26 days after treatment for ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Gala’, respectively. Fruit drop, fruit diameter, ethylene production, firmness, soluble solids content (SSC), starch index and color were measured. Measurements were performed at harvest and after 7 days’ shelf life. Quality parameters suggest different extensions to the harvest period. The SSC models showed that a 5% increase can occur with longer than 6 days delay in harvest. The starch index models showed 9.6 days’ delay for ‘Gala’ and 6.3 days’ delay for ‘Golden Delicious’ apples. The accurate measurement of firmness and the performance of its models suggest that the harvest period can be extended by 12 days for ‘Gala’ and 11 days for ‘Golden Delicious’ apples, when fruit are subjected to preharvest spray treatment. Full article

The objective of this study was to identify the factors that most strongly influence the postharvest quality of ‘Gala Schniga^® SchniCo Red(s)’ apples under conditions of simulated transport and simulated trading at elevated temperature following long-term storage. The study was conducted over two storage seasons (2022/2023 and 2023/2024) on fruit originating from the experimental orchard of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW-WULS) in Warsaw. The effects of harvest date (optimal—OHD and delayed by 14 days—DH), four variants of 1-MCP (1-methylcyclopropene) application: (control, Harvista™—preharvest, SmartFresh™—postharvest, and Harvista™ + SmartFresh™), controlled-atmosphere storage technology (ULO 1: 1.2% CO₂ and 1.2% O₂; ULO 2: 0.6% CO₂ and 0.6% O₂), storage period (5, 7, and 9 months), duration of simulated transport (4 or 6 weeks at 1 °C in normal atmosphere), and shelf life (0, 7, and 14 days at 25 °C) were analyzed. Five quality parameters were evaluated: firmness (F), soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), SSC/TA ratio, and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) content. Stepwise regression with backward elimination was applied to identify significant predictors, and partial eta squared (η²) was calculated to compare the relative strength of effects. Postharvest 1-MCP application had the greatest impact on maintaining firmness and TA (F: η² = 75.8%; TA: η² = 56.3%), whereas shelf life was the key factor in the deterioration of quality parameters after removal from storage (F: η² = 55.5%; TA: η² = 30.1) and in increasing the SSC/TA ratio (η² = 29.6%). Harvest date strongly differentiated firmness (η² = 51.3) and significantly affected TA (η² = 14.4), while storage period had the greatest effect on ACC content (η² = 14.2) and TA decline (η² = 15.6). Preharvest 1-MCP application had a smaller effect on F and TA but significantly reduced SSC (η² = 24.9), highlighting the importance of the timing of ethylene inhibitor application. The effects of simulated transport and preharvest weather indicators were statistically significant but relatively small compared with the effects of postharvest technological decisions and exposure time under retail conditions. The results indicate that maintaining target quality parameters throughout an extended supply chain requires precise determination of the harvest date, prioritizing postharvest 1-MCP application, and limiting shelf life under elevated-temperature conditions. Full article

‘Jinyan’ is an interspecific hybrid kiwifruit (Actinidia eriantha × A. chinensis). It is a large, yellow-fleshed fruit with good taste and long storage potential. It is commonly referenced that storage potential is linked to the harvest maturity of the fruit and the subsequent temperature management. Hence, the findings from research covering the maturation, storage temperatures, ripening, and quality of ‘Jinyan’ fruit from the same orchard across three seasons have been evaluated with an overall objective of defining harvest and storage criteria for ‘Jinyan’ fruit. Good postharvest performance includes fruit not becoming too soft too soon in storage and retaining firmness at shelf temperatures. It was confirmed that harvest maturity is critical to the good storage performance of ‘Jinyan’ kiwifruit. Harvest time significantly affected fruit softening during cold storage, and treatment with the ethylene action inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene slightly delayed fruit softening. Harvesting much before 180 days after full bloom, or at <9% soluble solids content (SSC), resulted in high incidences of chilling injury (41.8–52.0% after 24 weeks of cold storage at 1 °C + 7 d at 20 °C). These chill-damaged, early-harvested fruits also had a high incidence of rot. Leaving the fruit on the vine much after this threshold reduced chilling injury, but increased the risk of rot on otherwise sound fruit (total rot incidence ranging from 25.9% to 89.0% depending on maturity at harvest). As well as chilling risk, early-harvested fruit may reduce the consumer’s liking of the fruit because of a reduced ripe fruit SSC (rSSC). Consumer liking may also be reduced for long-stored fruit in years of low fruit dry matter content. The impact of low rSSC on consumer liking and the presence of any threshold values requires confirmation. These findings define a clear indication of when fruit should be harvested for long storage, whilst minimizing the risk of disorders. Full article

Background: The NAC family constitutes one of the largest families of plant-specific transcription factors and plays crucial roles in fruit development, ripening, seed life, and stress responses. However, comprehensive characterization of NAC genes in Persea americana (avocado), an economically important horticultural crop, has been largely unexplored. Methods: We performed a genome-wide identification and systematic characterization of NAC transcription factor (TF) genes in P. americana using blastp analysis, phylogenetic reconstruction, expression profiling and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Results: A total of 130 NAC genes (PaNACs) were identified and distributed across all 12 chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis classified these PaNACs into eight distinct subfamilies. WGCNA identified 43 co-expression modules, with 68 PaNAC genes distributed across 24 modules associated with hormone signaling, cell wall modification, secondary metabolism, and fatty acid beta-oxidation. Among 48,785 developmental differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 70 PaNAC genes were differentially expressed, with PaNAC003 and PaNAC002 showing the strongest upregulation and PaNAC023 and PaNAC025 the strongest downregulation. Among 9488 ethylene-responsive DEGs, PaNAC041 was suppressed by ethylene and induced by 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP, a competitive inhibitor of ethylene perception), while PaNAC016, PaNAC085, and PaNAC086 showed the opposite pattern. Conclusions: These findings provide a genomic and transcriptional framework for future functional investigation of PaNAC genes and their potential relevance to avocado fruit development and postharvest ripening. Full article

The ‘Jinyan’ kiwifruit is valued for its flavour and storability, but softens and decays rapidly after harvest. Controlled atmosphere (CA) storage offers an alternative to 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), yet the CO₂ tolerance of this cultivar was unknown. The fruit was stored at 1 ± 0.5 °C under 5% O₂ with 1–4% CO₂, plus 1-MCP and air controls. A key finding is that ‘Jinyan’ is sensitive to low CO₂ in terms of firmness and SOD activity: 2% CO₂ induced abnormal softening and reduced SOD activity within 40 days, indicating a critical safe range between 2% and 3% CO₂. Targeting 3% CO₂ risks injury under typical commercial fluctuations (±0.5%). To provide a safety margin, we recommend 5% O₂ + 4% CO₂. This regime delayed losses of firmness, acidity and vitamin C (Vc), and reduced decay (by 43.7% at 200 days). First-order kinetics confirmed a 39.2% reduction in softening rate. For commercial application, we recommend a maximum storage period of 160 days, during which 4% CO₂ provides higher firmness (26.01 N), lower decay (6.67%) and better colour retention (h° = 106.44). Thus, 1 °C, 5% O₂ + 4% CO₂ is recommended as a safety buffer against low CO₂ injury. Full article

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) is highly nutritious, rich in vitamin C, glucosinolates, and minerals. However, its high postharvest respiratory rate leads to rapid quality deterioration, particularly chlorophyll degradation and yellowing under ambient conditions. In China, the lack of timely pre-cooling facilities exacerbates postharvest losses. Therefore, developing safe, effective and low-cost preservation methods for broccoli during transportation is of great practical importance. In this study, RNA sequencing was employed to analyze the effects of preharvest 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) and postharvest pre-cooling combined with cold treatments on gene expression in broccoli. Transcriptome analysis revealed that both treatments significantly upregulated or maintained key genes involved in chlorophyll biosynthesis (e.g., Glutamyl-tRNA reductase (GluTR), porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD), magnesium chelatase (MgCh)) and downregulated chlorophyll degradation-related genes (e.g., Chlorophyllase (CLH), pheophytinase (PPH), pheophorbide a oxygenase (PaO)), resulting in enhanced chlorophyll retention. Furthermore, chlorophyllide a oxygenase (CAO) was upregulated, while chlorophyll b reductase (CBR) was downregulated, suggesting modulation of the chlorophyll cycle. These findings elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which 1-MCP and pre-cooling combined with cold regulate chlorophyll metabolism, providing new insights into the gene regulatory network underlying the postharvest quality maintenance in broccoli. Full article

Cut roses (Rosa hybrida L.) are highly sensitive to postharvest conditions, often experiencing quality losses associated with declines in SPAD values (relative chlorophyll index), color instability, Botrytis cinerea incidence, and impaired bud opening. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different storage atmospheres, including controlled atmosphere (CA; 10% CO₂ + 3% O₂ and 6% CO₂ + 3% O₂), normal atmosphere (NA), and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP; LDPE1 (low-permeability MAP): 25 µm, 8000 cc m⁻² day⁻¹ O₂ permeability; LDPE2 (high-permeability MAP): 25 µm, 12,000 cc m⁻² day⁻¹ O₂ permeability), on SPAD values, color parameters, disease incidence, and bud development in cut rose cultivars (Rosa hybrida L.) cvs. ‘Rhodos’ and ‘Athena’ harvested in May, June, August, and November. The experiment was conducted as a factorial completely randomized design with seven biological replicates per treatment, each consisting of a single flower. Treatments were applied in combination with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP, 625 ppb) and a commercial postharvest hydrating solution (Chrysal RVB, 1 mL L⁻¹) under storage conditions of 0.5 ± 0.5 °C and 80–85% relative humidity. The results indicated that CA conditions in combination with 1-MCP maintained higher SPAD values, improved color stability, and were associated with lower Botrytis incidence (p < 0.01). In addition, the low-permeability LDPE1-based MAP treatment minimized variations in hue angle (h°) and improved bud development scores, while the hydrating solution treatment promoted bud opening, particularly in cv. ‘Athena’, although its effect on disease suppression was limited. Overall, the combined application of controlled atmosphere storage and 1-MCP generally showed superior performance in maintaining postharvest quality, reducing disease incidence, and preserving the visual and physiological attributes of cut roses, with effects varying depending on cultivar and evaluated parameter. Full article

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. Italica) is a rich source of glucosinolates, bioactive compounds whose levels are markedly affected by postharvest senescence. The present study evaluated the effects of hormonal regulators associated with senescence—cytokinins, ethylene, and the ethylene-action inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP)—on glucosinolate metabolism during postharvest storage of broccoli heads. Broccoli heads were treated with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), ethephon, or 1-MCP and stored at 20 °C for five days in darkness. Senescence progression was evaluated through superficial color and chlorophyll content. Glucosinolate pattern and gene expression involved in glucosinolate biosynthesis and degradation was also analyzed. Postharvest storage induced rapid yellowing, chlorophyll loss, and a general decline in glucosinolate content in control samples. BAP and 1-MCP treatments significantly delayed senescence, preserved chlorophyll levels, and reduced glucosinolate losses, particularly for indolic glucosinolates such as glucobrassicin and neoglucobrassicin. In the case of BAP-treated samples, glucobrassicin and neoglucobrassicin contents were 117% and 93% higher, respectively, compared to the controls on day 5. In the case of 1-MCP-treated samples, greater differences were detected on day 3, with glucobrassicin and neoglucobrassicin levels 69% and 66% higher, respectively. In contrast, ethephon accelerated senescence and promoted a more pronounced decrease in both aliphatic and indolic glucosinolates. Gene expression analyses showed a general downregulation of aliphatic glucosinolate biosynthetic genes during storage, whereas indolic pathway genes exhibited hormone-dependent responses. Overall, the results indicate that senescence-associated hormonal regulation plays a central role in glucosinolate metabolism during broccoli postharvest storage, and that BAP and 1-MCP treatments are effective strategies to maintain nutritional quality by delaying senescence and glucosinolate degradation. Full article

Ethylene is a key phytohormone regulating fruit ripening, the senescence of ornamental plants, and the post-harvest quality of horticultural products. Although numerous studies have described compounds that inhibit ethylene biosynthesis or perception, the available evidence remains fragmented across chemical groups, plant species, and pre- and post-harvest applications. This review addresses that gap by critically integrating current knowledge on the principal inhibitors of ethylene biosynthesis and perception used in horticulture, with emphasis on their sites of action, practical effectiveness, and limitations. Biosynthesis inhibitors, including aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), aminooxyacetic acid (AOA), daminozide, benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), and oxalic acid (OA), reduce ethylene production at different stages of the ethylene pathway, whereas perception inhibitors such as 1-methylcyclopropene, 1-DCP, silver compounds, alkenes, and diazocyclopentadiene interfere with receptor binding and downstream ripening responses. The available literature indicates that 1-methylcyclopropene remains the most widely used commercial inhibitor, while oxalic acid is emerging as a promising natural modulator of ethylene-related processes. However, the efficacy of these compounds is strongly dependent on species, maturity stage, dose, temperature, and storage conditions, and some are additionally constrained by regulatory concerns, incomplete mechanistic understanding, or inconsistent performance. Overall, ethylene inhibitors are important tools for extending shelf life, maintaining firmness, delaying senescence, and reducing post-harvest losses. Further comparative and crop-specific studies are needed to optimize application strategies, improve environmental safety, and support the development of effective natural alternatives. Full article

Superficial scald, a postharvest physiological disorder of pears, leads to substantial economic losses. However, the dynamic metabolic shifts that underpin symptom development and the extent of metabolic reorganization triggered by the ethylene inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) remain poorly understood. We combined physiological assessments with untargeted metabolomics to track superficial scald development and 1-MCP’s inhibitory effect in ‘Dangshansuli’ pears (Pyrus bretschneideri). In control fruit, disorder progression followed a trajectory of escalating physiological disruption, initiated by an ethylene burst and early oxidative stress, which advanced to membrane lipid peroxidation, glutathione (GSH) depletion, and dysregulated phenolic metabolism. By contrast, 1-MCP fundamentally diverted this trajectory by acting both as an initial ethylene antagonist and a sustained broad-spectrum metabolic regulator. It time-dependently reconfigured secondary metabolism away from the production of scald-promoting compounds (e.g., α-farnesene and phenolic acids) and toward the sustained synthesis of protective alkaloids and flavonoids, thereby enhancing cellular homeostasis and antioxidant capacity. KEGG and correlation network analyses confirmed that 1-MCP uncoupled the metabolic network from oxidative damage. Our findings indicate that 1-MCP is associated with a comprehensive metabolic reprogramming that shifts the fruit away from the scald development trajectory, providing a mechanistic foundation for developing metabolism-targeted strategies to control postharvest losses. Full article

Flavonols are an important secondary metabolite in grape, which play a crucial role in plant growth and development, human health, and wine making. Ethylene and its inhibitor 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) are widely used in grape berry production. However, the regulation mechanism of flavonol biosynthesis by ethylene and 1-MCP remains elusive in yellow-green grape varieties. Here, the content of flavonols in ‘Chardonnay’ grape berry skin after ethylene treatment was significantly higher than the control, while 1-MCP treatment was lower than the control. The phenylpropanoid biosynthesis-related genes and a transcription factor VvERF003 were screened for possible involvement in ethylene-mediated flavonol biosynthesis by transcriptome sequencing. The role of VvERF003 was further proved to promote flavonol accumulation in the transient overexpression of grape fruits and leaves, and the upregulation of genes related to flavonol biosynthesis. Furthermore, VvERF003 promoted flavonol biosynthesis by directly binding to and activating the promoters of VvCHI1 and VvFLS1, and positively regulated their expression. These results indicated that VvERF003 was induced by ethylene and promoted the accumulation of flavonols in ‘Chardonnay’ grape berry skin by positively regulating the flavonol biosynthesis genes VvCHI1 and VvFLS1. Full article

This study examined the impact of various treatments on the storage quality of sugar-cored ‘Fuji’ apples, with the objective of establishing a theoretical foundation for extending the retention period of these apples and augmenting their commercial worth. This experiment utilized three distinct treatments for sugar-cored ‘Fuji’ apples, with the combination of 1-methylcyclopropene and polyethylene self-sealing bag treatment (1-M+PE) demonstrating the most effective prolongation of the storage duration for the sugar-cored apples. The 1-M+PE treatment significantly mitigated the reduction of sugar-cored in ‘Fuji’ apples and extended the onset of cellular rupture, postponing the loss of firmness and preserving the concentrations of sorbitol and sucrose throughout the storage duration. The 1-M+PE treatment effectively prolonged the storage duration of sugar-cored apples in cold storage. ‘Fuji’ apples subjected to 1-M+PE treatment were stored in cold storage for 120 days. The sugar-cored apple rate was 38.9%. The firmness was 14.8% greater than that of the control group. The soluble solid concentration in the sugar-cored part was 3.83% higher than that of the control group. The reducing sugar content in the sugar-cored part was 16.2% higher than that of the control group, and the titratable acid content in the sugar-cored part was 1.86 times greater than that of the control group. The correlation study of the indicators during the storage period revealed a robust association between the rate of sugar-cored apple and the content of sorbitol, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. Experimental findings demonstrate that the concurrent application of 1-M+PE significantly inhibits the disappearance of sugar-cored. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of pre-harvest hexanal and post-harvest 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatments on bitter pit incidence and fruit quality in ‘Arisoo’ apples during cold storage. Hexanal (0.02%) was sprayed on trees twice, 18 and 8 days before harvest, and 1-MCP (1 μL·L⁻¹) was applied by fumigation immediately after harvest. Treated apples were subsequently stored at 0.5 ± 1 °C for 5 months. At harvest, the control group showed an incidence rate of 20.6% and a severity score of 0.34, while the hexanal-treated group had a reduced incidence of 13.2% and a severity score of 0.18. Fruit quality parameters did not differ significantly between the control and hexanal-treated groups at harvest. During cold storage, spot incidence significantly increased in the control after 2 months and reached 60.5% after 5 months. In contrast, bitter pit incidence in the hexanal and 1-MCP-treated groups was lower after 5 months, at 46.6% and 47.1%, respectively. No significant difference in spot severity was observed between the hexanal and 1-MCP treatments. Polyphenol oxidase activity increased in all treatments during storage, but both hexanal and 1-MCP significantly inhibited this increase compared to the control. Total sugar and uronic acid contents decreased across all treatments during storage. However, the hexanal and 1-MCP treatments mitigated this reduction relative to the control. At the end of storage, apples treated with 1-MCP had lower internal ethylene concentrations and higher flesh firmness compared to both the control and hexanal-treated apples. In conclusion, pre-harvest hexanal application reduced the bitter pit incidence at harvest and during storage, while post-harvest 1-MCP provided a similar reduction effect and better preserved fruit quality during cold storage. Full article

Poland, as a leading apple producer in the EU, must maintain high fruit quality during prolonged storage and distribution, which is crucial for exports to distant markets. Therefore, it is essential to clearly identify which factors most strongly affect quality and the magnitude of their effects in order to make informed choices about pre- and postharvest practices, storage technology, and logistics. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of selected factors on the quality of apples of the ‘Gala Schniga^® SchniCo Red(s)’ cultivar after long-term storage. The study analyzed the effects of harvest date (optimal and delayed), three variants of 1-methylcyclopropene application (control-0 µL·L⁻¹ 1-MCP, Harvista™, SmartFresh™, and Harvista™ + SmartFresh™), storage period (5, 7, and 9 months), simulated trading period (0 or 7 days at 20 °C) and storage technology (ULO: 1.2% CO₂: 1.2% O₂; DCA: 0.6% CO₂: 0.6% O₂) in two consecutive seasons (2022/2023 and 2023/2024). Five quality parameters were evaluated: flesh firmness (F), soluble solid content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), SSC/TA ratio, and the concentration of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC). Backward-elimination stepwise regression and partial eta squared (η²) calculations were used to analyze the data to determine the factors with the greatest impact. The post-harvest application of 1-MCP had the strongest effect in terms of maintaining firmness (η² = 70.4%) and acidity (η² = 38.0%) and reducing ACC content (η² = 21.3%). Harvista™ preparation had a weaker or negligible effect on ACC content, but reduced SSC (η² = 22.7%). Harvest date, storage duration, and shelf life significantly influenced all traits, with controlled-atmosphere regime further modulating outcomes. By integrating preharvest maturity with treatment timing and CA storage, we disentangled the relative contributions of harvest timing, treatment, and storage. The results provide actionable inputs for a decision-support tool to help producers maintain target quality—firmness, SSC, TA, SSC/TA, and ACC—through optimized practice, storage technology choice, and logistics. Full article

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) such as aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), and thidiazuron (TDZ) are widely used to improve fruit set and quality in stone fruits. This study evaluated the effects of these PGRs on fruit set, yield performance, and fruit quality parameters of the Japanese plum cultivar ‘Leticia’ under the edaphoclimatic conditions of the highland region of southern Brazil during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 growing seasons. The treatments (AVG, MCP, and TDZ) were applied in full bloom in a randomized complete block design with four replications, and the data from both seasons were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA). All PGRs significantly affected fruit set, yield performance, and fruit quality parameters. The strongest associations were found with 182 mg L⁻¹ TDZ for fruit set, and with 62.5 mg L⁻¹ and 125 mg L⁻¹ AVG, and 21.43 mg L⁻¹ 1-MCP for yield performance-related trails. Applications of 125 mg L⁻¹ AVG, 21.43 mg L⁻¹ 1-MCP, and 182 mg L⁻¹ TDZ produced fruits with larger diameters and higher fresh weights. The PCA results indicated that TDZ at 182 mg L⁻¹ was closely associated with fruit set and yield performance, suggesting a strong multivariate relationship among these parameters and demonstrating its potential to enhance the productivity of ‘Leticia’ plum under the edaphoclimatic conditions of southern Brazil during the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 growing seasons. Full article