Comparative assessment of apple fruit storability during storage in different modes of the cooled medium

The article presents the research results of the effect of post-harvest treatment with Phytomag preparation of fruits of 21 apple tree varieties of domestic and foreign breeding on their storability and quality. The purpose of the research is to determine the effectiveness of the combined effect of such technological techniques as post-harvest fruit treatment with Phytomag preparation and their storage in conventional (CGD) and regulated (RGD) gas dynamics on the formation of quality and storability of apples grown in the Crimea. The data obtained showed that the treatment of fruits with an ethylene inhibitor Phytomag during storage in conventional and regulated gas dynamics reduces losses, depending on the variety, by 1.5-1.8 times. It is established that the processed fruits retain their original marketable appearance, have high quality components during the entire storage period and after opening the refrigerating chambers, selling the fruits and bringing them to the consumer. It is proved that in the conditions of the Crimea such varieties as Tavria, Krymskoye Zimnee, Krymskoye, Orion, Kimmeria, Brebern, Fuji, Idared, Pink Lady can be successfully stored in a conventional gas dynamic with post-harvest treatment with preparation inhibiting ethylene synthesis. The advantage of storage in regulated gas dynamic was shown by the varieties Aromat Kryma, Predgornoye, Golden Delicious, Crispin, Granny Smith, Glouster, Gala, Jonagold.

Spatial and Temporal Enhancement of Colour Development in Apples Subjected to Reflective Material in the Southern Hemisphere

(1) Background: Climate change associated with a warm autumn often hampers the development of colouration of many fruits including late ripening apple varieties in New Zealand. (2) Objective: This study will provide detailed information on the possibility of enhancing colouration of apples under the diffuse light conditions in autumn in the southern hemisphere (SH). The aim is to obtain a larger proportion of fruit meeting the (red) colour market specifications, especially within the first picks, and to identify both the side of the fruit and its position within the tall trees canopy (3.5 m) as affected by reflective mulch on the ground spread at and over different times. (3) Material and methods: Reflective white textile mulch (Extenday®) was spread in the grassed alleyways 4 weeks or 2 weeks before the anticipated harvest in April on cv. Fuji and Pacific Rose apple trees without hail nets in the Northern Part of the South Island (41° S) of NZ. Fruit colour (blush) was determined by scoring and colourimeter during fruit maturation and at harvest, and fruit quality was determined at harvest by standard methods. (4) Results: (a) In cv. Pacific Rose apple, the reflective mulch increased the scored blush value from 1.5 (<50% blush) to 3.9 (ca. 75% blush) before the first pick, whereas the control fruit (without ExtendayR) reached a final score value of only 3.0. (b) Fruit colour improved after one week of exposure to reflective mulch in the SH. (c) The scored blush on fruit near the trunk with reflective mulch doubled (Pacific Rose) or tripled (Fuji) at harvest in comparison with trees with grass alleyways (control). (d) Two and four weeks of reflective mulch enhanced colouration of the down facing side for fruit of both cultivars, especially for fruit from the inside of the canopy near the tree trunk. However, reflective mulch significantly improved blush by 20% on fruit from the periphery of the canopies of the tall trees in both cultivars without significantly affecting fruit firmness, soluble solids, starch breakdown or ripeness. (5) Conclusions: The results from ca. 2000 colour measurements showed that the short exposure of at least two weeks of reflective mulch was sufficient for enhancing colouration for outside, inside and down facing sides of the fruit of both cultivars. As a result of this surprisingly short and efficient exposure time for these tall trees (3.5 m), the reflective mulch increased the portion of fruit harvested in the first pick by 8% (Fuji) and by 27% (Pacific Rose) with improved fruit storability or export quality and thereby increased financial returns to the grower in the SH.

Postharvest Dips of Persimmon Fruit in Gibberellic Acid: An Efficient Treatment to Improve Storability and Reduce Alternaria Black Spot

In Israel, fruit softening during storage and the occurrence of Alternaria black spot (ABS) disease, caused by Alternaria alternata, are the main postharvest factors that reduce quality and impair storability of persimmon fruit. The pathogen causing ABS infects the fruit in the orchard and remains quiescent until harvest, or renews its development just before harvest but mainly during storage. A preharvest spray with 50 µg·L−1 gibberellin (GA3) significantly improved fruit storability, as determined by fruit firmness and levels of ABS. While GA3 treatments have been commercially applied for more than 30 years, significant limitations of the use of the preharvest treatment like enhancing the risk of a reduced yield have been described. Recent findings suggested that postharvest dip treatments with increased concentrations of GA3 also delayed fruit softening and reduced ABS to similar levels to the commercially applied preharvest treatment in persimmon fruit stored for 3 months at 0 °C. Postharvest GA3 dip treatments at concentrations ranging from 500 to 1500 µg·L−1 were similarly more efficient in the prevention of fruit softening and ABS development than the 50 µg·L−1 preharvest spray. Present results indicated that postharvest GA3 treatment physiologically affects fruit firmness and susceptibility to ABS during storage.

Effect of modified atmosphere package on apricot fruit storability

The aim of this work was to study the effect of modified atmosphere package (MAP) on apricot storability. Apricots (Prunus armeniaca L.) cultivar Jumbo cot were harvested at commercial ripening stage. The fruits were treated with different storage treatments as following: i) control storage for 13 days at 1 °C, ii) stored fruit at 1 °C for 10 days then 3 days at shelf at 25 °C, iii) fruit stored in MAP at 1 °C for 13 days and iv) fruit stored in MAP at 1 °C for 10 days then 3 days at shelf at 25 °C. Data showed the positive effect of MAP in keeping the apricot fruit for long time with better quality than the control fruit. MAP showed positive effect by recording the lowest fruit weight loss, the highest firmness and lowest chilling injury and fruit decay.

Genetic bases of tomatо marker-assisted selection in Belarus

To develop tomato hybrids and varieties with a high fruit quality, we gradually solved the following tasks: development of DNA-marking methods for long shelf life genes; the genes modifying the biosynthesis of carotenoids and their composition; testing of the elaborated methods on the developed breeding material; the selection of samples with different allelic composition of fruit quality genes; the development of F1 hybrids using the method of successive crosses and their study; the selection of tomato forms by DNA-typing methods with target genes in F2 populations to develop valuable breeding samples; the study of carotenoids’ accumulation peculiarities and their inheritance. We used DNA-identification methods for fruit quality genes: nor, rin, norA (long shelf life), B, ogc, hp2dg, gf-3 (carotenoid content). The tomato hybrids, combining two pigment content genes and one long shelf life gene and the model forms with different combinations of fruit quality genes (B/rin/gf-3, B/rin/hp2dg; B /nor/gf-3, B /nor/hp2dg; оgc /rin/gf-3, оgc /rin/hp2dg; оgc /nor/gf-3, оgc /nor/hp2dg) in a homozygous state were developed. Use of the developed accessions with carotenoid content genes (ogc/hp2dg, B/hp2dg) as maternal forms and the accessions with complex fruit quality genes (ogc/hp2dg/nor, ogc/hp2dg/rin, B/hp2dg/nor, B/hp2dg/rin, ogc/gf-3/nor, ogc/gf-3/rin, B/gf-3/rin, B/gf-3/nor) as paternal forms for hybridization contributes to high accumulation of carotenoids and a lond period of fruit storability.

Short UV-C Treatment Prevents Browning and Extends the Shelf-Life of Fresh-Cut Carambola

In this work, we selected a short UV-C treatment for fresh-cut carambola and assessed its efficacy in supplementing the benefits of low temperature storage. UV-C treated (6.0, 10.0, and 12.5 kJ m−2) carambola slices showed reduced deterioration compared to control fruit. Treatment with a dose of 12.5 kJ m−2 UV-C was more effective in maintaining quality and was selected for subsequent experiments evaluating the combination of UV-C and refrigeration on fruit storability and physical, chemical, and microbiological properties. Short UV-C exposure reduced weight loss and electrolyte leakage. UV-C treated carambola slices presented higher phenolic antioxidants than control after 21 d at 4°C and showed no alterations in soluble solids or titratable acidity. UV-C exposure also reduced the counts of molds, yeast, and aerobic mesophilic bacteria. UV-C treated fruit showed a fresh-like appearance even after 21 d as opposed to control carambola which presented spoilage and extensive browning symptoms. The reduction of fruit browning in UV-C treated fruit was not due to reduction in phenylalanine-ammonia lyase (PAL) and/or peroxidase (POD), but rather through polyphenol oxidase (PPO) inhibition and improved maintenance of tissue integrity.

Effects of Combined Heat and Preservative Treatment on Storability of Ponkan Fruit (Citrus reticulataBlanco cv. Ponkan) during Postharvest Storage

Heat treatment and preservative application have been widely used during postharvest storage of many fresh products, but the effect of their combination on citrus storage has rarely been investigated. In this study, the optimal heat treatment (HT) conditions and HT combined with preservative treatment were investigated for Ponkan fruit (Citrus reticulataBlanco cv. Ponkan) storage. Results indicated that HT at 55°C for 20 s can significantly reduce the decay rate of Ponkan fruit, and a combination of HT and 25% of the preservative dosage used in production of iminoctadine tris (albesilate), 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and imazalil significantly reduced the decay rate without affecting fruit quality. In addition, the increased fiber contents in fruit receiving the HT combined with preservative treatments may be a response preventing fungus infection and enhancing fruit storability and resistance. The above results suggested that the combination of HT and 25% of the preservative production dosage was optimal for controlling Ponkan fruit decay during storage.