Effects of 1-MCP on softening, yellowing and H2O2 content in post-harvest 'Jingbaili' pear fruit during and after cold storage

'Jingbaili' pear (Pyrus ussuriensis Maxim.) fruit shows rapid softening, yellowing and short shelf-life at ambient temperature storage. In this study, 'Jingbaili' pear fruits were treated with 1.0 mu L center dot L-1 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) for 24 hours at 25 +/- 2A degrees C and then stored at 0A degrees C. After 60 and 120 days of cold storage at 0A degrees C, pear fruits were removed and stored at 20 +/- 2A degrees C to assess their shelf-life. The results indicated that the 1-MCP treatment delayed the decrease in firmness and chlorophyll (a, b, and a+b) content of peel, reduced the rates of respiration and ethylene production, and inhibited the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which was observed in the untreated fruits during and after cold storage. Less difference was found in soluble solids content (SSC) between the control and 1-MCP-treated fruits during storage. The correlation analysis showed that flesh H2O2 content was negatively related to firmness and also peel H2O2 content to peel chlorophyll a+b content. These results suggested that the 1-MCP treatment could delay the fruit softening and chlorophyll degradation by suppressing the accumulation of H2O2 content during and after cold storage in 'Jingbaili' pear.