Preventing Ripening Blockage in 1-MCP Treated 'Abate Fetel' Pears by Storage Temperature Management

Many cultivars of European pears, treated with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), undergo a blockage of the ripening process that does not resume during shelf life. We evaluated the possibility to use different storage temperatures to prevent ripening blockage by 1-MCP and at the same time inhibit superficial scald. Early and optimal harvested 'Abate Fetel' pears were treated with 320 nl L-1 1-MCP for 24 h at 2 degrees C. Subsequently the fruits were stored in air at -1 and 1 degrees C for 17 and 34 weeks, respectively. All fruits treated with 1-MCP, depending on storage type and length, had lower ethylene production, compared with untreated controls. While treated fruits kept at 1 degrees C were still firm at the end of storage and ripened normally to eating quality, softening and peel yellowing were prevented in fruit kept at -1 degrees C. Superficial scald damaged the fruits kept at -1 degrees C but not those stored at 1 degrees C. 1-MCP treatment fully prevented scald. During storage the concentration of alpha-farnesene increased up to 17 weeks while conjugated trienols reached a peak after 34 weeks with large differences between -1 and 1 degrees C. 1-MCP effectively reduced conjugated trienol accumulation at both storage temperatures. Results indicate the importance of raising the storage temperature from -1 to 1 degrees C for reducing susceptibility to superficial scald, to avoid the ripening blockage by 1-MCP mainly in early picked fruit.