Effects of 1-methylcyclopropene in combination with chitosan oligosaccharides on post-harvest quality of aprium fruits

• 1-MCP can inhibit ripening and keep postharvest quality of aprium fruits.
• Treatment with COS remarkably prevents postharvest decay of aprium during storage.
• Additional effects were observed by treatment of 1-MCP combing with COS.

Aprium (Prunus armeniaca × salicina L. cv. Xingmei) fruits were treated with 1.0 μL/L 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) for 12 h at 20 °C or dipped for 2 min into 0.5% (w/v) chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) solution, or treated with the combination of the both, then stored at 2 °C for up to 30 days. Aprium fruits exhibited a typical climacteric pattern in ethylene production and respiration rate. Treatment with 1-MCP or COS could retard the decline in firmness, titratable acidity and total soluble solids of aprium fruits during storage, as well as reduce ethylene production and respiration rate. In addition, COS treatment also had a pronounced effect on reduction of decay rate.