Postharvest quality of 'Galaxy' apples submitted to the treatment with 1-MCP and different cooling times between harvest and cold storage

In this research it was evaluated if the use of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), associated to different cooling times between the harvest and storage, replaces the pre-cooling in 'Galaxy' apples. Treatments were arranged in a factorial scheme, combining the following factors: application of 1-MCP (with or without) and different times between harvest and cooling (24 hours, 96 hours, 144 hours and 192 hours in 2013; and 24 hours, 48 hours, 144 hours and 240 hours in 2014). After four months of cold storage (1.0 +/- 0.2 degrees C/92 +/- 5% RH - Relative Humidity) were evaluated: flesh firmness, texture, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids (SS) and skin color. Apples treated with 1-MCP showed greater flesh firmness, texture and SS, in both years, and more TA and lower incidence of mealy flesh compared to apples not treated with 1-MCP in 2013. The 1-MCP was effective in maintaining the fruit quality, even with the cooling delay of up to 240 hours. Cooling delay of 192 hours and 240 hours in 'Galaxy' apples not treated with 1-MCP should be avoided because it reduces the quality of fruits.