External and internal factors influence fruit tolerance to low-oxygen atmospheres

• Published in: Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science Vol. 117; no. 6; pp. 913 - 918
• Main Authors: Ke, D. (University of California, Davis, CA.), Kader, A.A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Alexandria, VA American Society for Horticultural Science 01.11.1992
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; ALIMENTOS; Biological and medical sciences; CALIDAD; CEREZA; CERISE; CIRUELA; FISIOLOGIA POSTCOSECHA; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Harvesting. Postharvest. Storage; MALUS PUMILA; MANZANA; MATEMATICAS; MATHEMATIQUE; MODELE MATHEMATIQUE; MODELOS MATEMATICOS; NECTARINA; NECTARINE; OXIGENO; OXYGENE; PERA; PHYSIOLOGIE APRES RECOLTE; POIRE; POMME; PRODUIT ALIMENTAIRE; PRUNE; PRUNUS AVIUM; PRUNUS PERSICA; PRUNUS SALICINA; PYRUS PYRIFOLIA; QUALITE; TEMPERATURA; TEMPERATURE; Vegetative propagation. Sowing and planting. Harvesting; Oxygen; Temperature; Gaseous diffusion; Insecticide; Rosaceae; Tolerance; Duration; Malus domestica; Prunus persica; Controlled atmosphere; Postharvest physiology; Fruit crop; Efficiency; Warehousing; Dicotyledones; Gustation; Prunus avium; Quality; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Fruit tree; Respiration
• ISSN: 0003-1062; 2327-9788
• DOI: 10.21273/jashs.117.6.913

Fruits of 'Bing' cherry (Prunus avium L.), 'Red Jim' nectarine (Prunus persica L.), 'Angeleno' plum (Prunus salicina, L.), 'Yellow Newtown' and 'Granny Smith' apples (Malus domestica Borkh.), and '20th Century' pear (Pyrus serotina L.) were treated with 0.25% or 0.02% O2 (balance N2) at 0, 5, or 10C to study the effects of these insecticidal low-O2 atmospheres on their postharvest physiology and quality attributes. Development of alcoholic off flavor was associated with ethanol accumulation, which was the most common and important detrimental effect that limited fruit tolerance to low O2. Relatively higher storage temperature (T), higher respiration rate (R), and greater resistance to gas diffusion (r) enhanced while relatively higher O2 concentration (C) and higher soluble solids concentration (SSC) reduced off-flavor development. Using a SAS computer program to do multiple regression analysis with T, C, R, r, and SSC as variables, models were developed for prediction of fruit tolerance to insecticidal low-O2 atmospheres. Comparison of fruit tolerances and published information on the times required to completely kill specific insects by O2 levels at or below 1% suggests that low-O2 atmospheres have a good potential for use as postharvest quarantine treatments for some fruits