Postharvest behavior and chilling injury in avocado (Persea americana Mill) fruit cv. Hass treated with 1-methylcyclopropene, ethylene, and intermittent warming

Abstract

Persea americana, cv. Hass has become an important crop in Colombia due to increased exports to European markets; however, the avocado is a climacteric fruit sensitive to chilling injury, reducing its shelf-life and affecting commercialization abroad. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of 1-methylcyclopropene, ethylene, and intermittent warming on chilling injury and postharvest behavior of avocado cv. Hass. Five treatments were evaluated: Control; Intermittent warming cycles of 4 days at 2 °C + 1 day at 18 °C; Intermittent warming cycles of 7 days at 2 °C + 1 day at 18 °C; 1-methylcyclopropene, and ethylene. The fruits were stored for 29 days at 2 °C and then up to 14 days in the shelf-life period. The intermittent warming treatment 4-days cycles reduced chilling injuries. However, this treatment increased weight loss, respiration, epidermal color index, and electrolyte leakage during the storage  period at 2 °C. Intermittent warming showed that Hass avocado fruit ripens faster, regardless of the application of ethylene in the shelf-life period. The results indicated that intermittent warming reduced the chilling injury, the treatment with 1-methylcyclopropene delayed ripening but it is not recommended for avocado cv. Hass when stored at 2 °C because the chilling injury is not reduced.