EFFECTS OF STORAGE TEMPERATURE ON 1-METHYLCYCLOPROPENE-TREATED MANGO (MANGNIFERA INDICA) FRUIT VARIETIES

Ripening has been delayed in many fruits using 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), an ethylene inhibitor in many parts of the world. In this study, three improved mango varieties ("Peter," "Brokin" and "Julie") from Benue State, Nigeria were treated with 1 and 2 ppm concentrations of 1-MCP for 24 h and stored at (32C) and (20C). Fruit quality attributes such as firmness, weight retention, titratable acidity, pH, soluble solids and ascorbic acid content were monitored at 0-, 3-, 6-, 12-, 18-, 21- and 25-day intervals. Fruit ripening was not delayed in treated fruits stored at (32C), however, fruit firmness, weight and color changes were minimized during storage. Conversely, ripening was delayed for fruits stored at 20C for up to 25 days. Titratable acidity, pH, soluble solids and ascorbic acid of the stored mango fruits were, for the most part, not affected significantly by 1-MCP treatment. The efficacy of 1-MCP in delaying mango ripening appears to be dependent on the storage temperature of treated fruits.