The effects of ethylene action inhibitor (1-methylcyclopropene, 1-MCP) on the storage of three apple cultivars, ‘Sansa’, early-mature type, ‘Jonagold’, middle-mature type, and ‘Fuji’, late-mature type were investigated. As a result, 1-MCP significantly inhibited endogenous ethylene production in the fruit of three cultivars, but effects on quality during storage were different.
Treatment of ‘Sansa’ fruits with 1-MCP delayed the decline of titratable acidity, but could not maintain the firmness, so the period of freshness was maintained for about one month after treatment. Furthermore, the effects of 1-MCP were shown only in fruit within three days after harvest. However, both the firmness and the titratable acidity in ‘Jonagold’ fruits were maintained two months after treatment performed up to seven days after harvest. Especially, volatile formation was significantly inhibited. Treatment with 1-MCP maintained the fruit qualities during two-month storage in ‘Fuji’ fruits which are similar to ‘Jonagold’, and the watercore was better preserved than that in the control throughout the entire treatment period. These results indicate that it is possible to maintain the freshness of fully ripe fruit which is impossible to store by CA storage, as well as contributing to the development of storage technology in the future.
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