Effect of harvest date and 1-MCP (SmartFresh™) treatment on 'Golden Delicious' apple cold storage physiological disorders

- 1-MCP slowed ripening in 'Golden Delicious' apples through storage at 0.5 °C.
- 1-MCP showed no clear effect on phenol content and antioxidant activity.
- 1-MCP inhibited superficial scald and reduced decay, while bitter pit increased.
- Diffuse skin browning did not appear in these experimental conditions.
- Harvest date had no effect on the physiological disorders.

It is recognized that 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) is able to influence fruit ripening, reduce superficial scald and improve post-storage quality in apples. However, 1-MCP may also increase disorders as bitter pit and diffuse skin browning. The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of 1-MCP (625 nL L−1) and 3 different maturity stages (early, middle and late harvest date) on the incidence and development of physiological disorders and ripening delay during storage at 0.5 °C and subsequent shelf-life at room temperature ≈ 22 °C, in 'Golden Delicious' apples. Fruit were collected in 6 orchards at a weekly interval, and half were treated with 1-MCP after 3 d cold storage, and the other half left as control. Quality parameters were evaluated at harvest, after 1-MCP treatment and after 6 months storage as well as after 7 d shelf-life. 1-MCP treatment of 'Golden Delicious' was effective for slowing softening, reduce electrolyte leakage and color changes associated with ripening (lightness and hue parameters), did not affect soluble solids content and had no clear effect on fruit phenols and antioxidant activity. 1-MCP inhibited superficial scald and significantly reduced rot; however, this treatment enhanced the development of bitter pit in some orchards. Harvest date did not influence scald, bitter pit and firmness but decreased weight loss, total phenols, soluble solid content and antioxidant activity from 2nd to 3rd harvest. The application of 1-MCP, 3 d after cold storage, to 'Golden Delicious' apples, reduced ripening and superficial scald, did not induce diffuse skin browning, but increased bitter pit incidence.