Chilling-injury sensitiveness of 'Rojo brillante' persimmon

The effect of cold storage on quality parameters of 'Rojo brillante' persimmon was studied in two consecutive years. Persimmon fruits were stored at 1 or 15 degrees C for 15, 30 or 50 days. After cold storage periods fruit were submitted to deastringency treatment with high levels of CO2 and then held at 20 degrees C for 6 or 8 days to simulate shelf-life. Ethylene and CO2 production, firmness, external color, weight loss, soluble solids and juice volatiles concentrations were evaluated. This cultivar presented evident chilling injury symptoms when stored at 1 degrees C during 15 days. The most important disorder was the drastic flesh softening that occurred when fruit were transferred from cold storage to shelf-life conditions. Acetaldehyde production and calyx abscission also appeared as possible responses to chilling stress. Values of ethylene and CO2 production were very low and no significant changes were observed during storage. Storage temperature did not affect soluble solids content. Although at 15 degrees C, persimmons maintained high quality during 15 days plus shelf-life, after 30 days the values of firmness were-very low. Therefore extended storage is not possible at this temperature.