Effects of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on Fruit Quality and Occurrence of Physiological Disorders of Asian Pear (Pyrus pyrifolia), 'Wonhwang' and 'Whasan', during Shelf-life

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on fruit quality and incidence of physiological disorders for keeping freshness during marketing period in Asian pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) 'Wonhwang' and 'Whasan'. Fruits were treated with 1 μLㆍL-¹ 1-MCP for 12 hours at 25℃, at two or three stages of ripeness as determined by days after full bloom (DAFB). Fruits were harvested at 130 and 140 DAFB in early season cultivar 'Wonhwang' and 135, 145, and 150 DAFB in mid-season cultivar 'Whasan', respectively. Fruits were stored at 25℃ for 21 days and measured the flesh firmness, weight loss, soluble solids, acidity, ethylene, respiration and severity of physiological disorders at week interval. 1-MCP treatment to 'Wonhwang' pears harvested at 130 and 140 DAFB effectively delayed firmness loss during storage at 25℃. Untreated fruits of 'Wonhwang' pears harvested at 130 DAFB showed 32.3 and 10.1N of firmness after 14 and 21 days of shelf-life at 25℃, respectively, while those of the 1-MCP treated fruits showed 39.4 and 33.1N during same period. In the fruits harvested at 140 DAFB, the firmness of untreated fruit was lowered to 14.8 and 6.6N after 14 and 21 days, respectively, but those of 1-MCP treated fruit were 35.0 and 33.3N, respectively. Whereas, 1-MCP treatment delayed firmness loss only in the fruit harvested late (150 DAFB) in 'Whasan' pears. Higher soluble solids content and acidity during extended shelf-life were apparent in 1-MCP treated 'Wonhwang' pears, while those of 'Whasan' pears were little changed. 'Wonhwang' pears showed a relatively high ethylene production (maximum 0.58 μLㆍL-¹) in the fruits harvested late than early harvested one. 'Whasan' pears showed little amount of ethylene production regardless of extended shelf-life. 1-MCP treatment to 'Wonhwang' pears decreased respiration rate following shelf-life, 42 and 50% reduction were observed at 14 days of shelf-life when compared with those of untreated ones harvested at 130 and 140 DAFB, respectively. No reduction of respiration rate by the treatment of 1-MCP was detected in 'Whasan' pears which showed considerably low respiration rate compared with 'Wonhwang' pears. Harvest time influenced the level of physiological disorders together with extension of shelf-life in both the cultivars. 1-MCP treatment completely blocked the incidence of internal browning of 'Wonhwang' pears harvested at 130 DAFB, and reduced the incidences of pithiness and core browning, while it promoted the flesh spot decay disorder regardless of harvest time. 1-MCP treatment was of little benefit for the prevention of physiological disorders in 'Whasan' pears compared with those of 'Wonhwang'.