The effects of fruit maturation, delayed storage and ethylene treatment on the incidence of low-temperature breakdown of 'Hayward' kiwifruit.
BACKGROUND
Low-temperature breakdown (LTB), a disorder inducing quality loss, during and after cold storage of 'Hayward' kiwifruit was investigated. Harvested kiwifruits during fruit maturation or after delayed storage (DS) at 20 °C for 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks and 1 µL L⁻¹ ethylene treatment for 24 h were stored at -0.5 °C for 24 weeks and additional ripening at 20 °C for 5 days. Fruit quality indices and LTB incidence and severity were determined before and after treatments.


RESULTS
Harvested fruits ripened during maturation, DS and after ethylene treatment. After storage and shelf life, fruits of all treatments were at complete ripening stage. LTB incidence of early harvested fruits was high, while that of fruits of the mid (third) and late harvests was low. Fruits of the third harvest date showed progressively increased LTB incidence with increasing duration of DS to as high as 95-100% after 4 weeks. Ethylene-treated fruits showed a comparable increase in LTB to that corresponding to 2-3 weeks of DS.


CONCLUSIONS
In contrast to fruit maturation, postharvest (after harvest and before storage) DS at non-chilling temperature and ethylene treatment advanced the ripening of 'Hayward' kiwifruit and resulted in increased LTB incidence.
Laboratory of Pomology, Sector of Horticulture and Viticulture, Department of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54 124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Alexia
A
Koutsoflini
Dimitrios
D
Gerasopoulos
Miltiadis
M
Vasilakakis
D029042:Actinidia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D003080:Cold Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D063427:Food Quality; D061353:Food Storage; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D006115:Greece; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
D005030:Ethylenes; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; C036216:ethylene