phase, and reduced firmness at O.SoC for RG and 3°C for COP, was probably mediated by ethylene. Delayed cooling induced earlier ethylene production, and a greater rate of ethylene production thereafter at 0.S-3°C. Similarly, rapidly cooled 'Mclntosh' apples had lower ethylene production and were firmer during low-ethylene « 1 Jl.I.I-1)
controlled atmosphere storage than fruit cooled more slowly (Liu, 1 986). Evidence for the importance of ethylene in promoting apple softening was strengthened following studies using inhibitors of ethylene action, as softening was reduced in several apple cultivars treated with I-methylcyclopropene at harvest (Fan et al., 1 999; Watkins et al., 2000b).
Intermittent warming influenced firmness and IEC for both cultivars. Fruit from
intermittent warming periods of increased duration or increased temperature were softer and had higher IEC' s on return to 0.5-3°C, and thereafter at 0.5-3°C, than fruit with no intermittent warming. These firmness and IEC results are similar to those obtained for 'Cortland' and 'Delicious' apples after intermittent warming to 20°C for different durations (Watkins et al., 2000a). However, the same intermittent warming treatments had a minimal effect on the IEC and firmness of cultivars such as GS and PR (Watkins et al., 2000a). As for delayed cooling, the effect of intermittent warming on subsequent softening at 0.S-3°C was reduced with increased storage time, with convergence of firmness values in the final slow softening phase in all treatments.
Neither time at 0.5 or 3°C, nor constant time at different temperatures, affected subsequent initiation, or rate, of softening in COP and RG at 20°C. A similar effect occurred in nectarines, where rate of softening at I SoC was similar regardless of prior exposure to different temperatures from -O.5°C to 7°C (Von Mollendorff et al. 1 992a). Maintaining nectarines for different times at -O.5°C or 3°C also did not influence the rate of softening in fruit subsequently placed at 10, 15 or 20°C (V on Mollendorff et al.
1 992b). This contrasted to the softening response in GS, several pear cultivars, and kiwifruit. Increasing the time that GS apples (Chapter 5) and 'Bartlett' pears (Agar et al., 2000) were at _1°C or O°C before transfer to 20°C shortened the subsequent initial slow softening phase, decreased the rate of rapid phase softening, and increased the softening rate of 'Anjou' pears (Gerasopoulos and Richardson, 1 997) and kiwifruit
(Zoffoli et al., 1 999). Different softening responses in these fruits at 20°C, after varying times at O°C, were probably due to differential effects of low temperature on induction of autocatalytic ethylene production. Prior time at low-temperatures was required to rapidly initiate autocatalytic ethylene production in 'Anjou' (Gerasopoulos and
Richardson, 1 997) and 'Bartlett' (Agar et aI., 2000) pears, and GS apples (Jobling et al., 1 99 1 ) at shelf-life temperatures. This contrasted with COP (Knee et al., 1 983) and RG (Larrigaudiere et aI., 1 997), where initiation of rapid ethylene production occurred immediately at 20°C without prior exposure to low-temperatures. Thus, RG and COP may soften at similar rates at 20°C, regardless of prior time at low temperature, as these cultivars do not require chilling to initiate rapid ethylene production and ripening at 20°e.
The k values estimated from continuous temperature treatments described both the
influence of delayed cooling and intermittent warming on subsequent softening at 0.5- 3°C, and the influence of time at different temperatures on subsequent softening at 20°C
in COP and RG. This indicates that the k values for these cultivars at a given
temperature were not influenced by prior exposure to different temperatures between 0.5°C and 20°e. Thus, a combination of the empirical softening model used herein, and
the modified Arrenhius equation used previously to describe k at temperatures from 0 to
35°C (Chapter 4), have the potential to describe the influence of temperature
perturbations during postharvest handling on softening of these cultivars. However, it is unlikely that this simple model could be used for GS, or similar apple cultivars, that have a requirement for chilling prior to initiation of rapid phase softening at 20°C (Chapter 5).
In summary, softening rates of COP and RG at a given temperature were similar
regardless of prior exposure to different temperatures. However, different coolchain treatments did influence IECs and firmness retention in storage. Reduced time at 20°C before cooling after harvest resulted in firmer fruit and lower IECs at 0.5-3°C than in fruit that had increased cooling delays after harvest. Fruit that had longer periods of intermittent warming were softer, and had higher IECs than fruit with shorter periods of intermittent warming. At shelf-life temperatures, both softening and IEC increased
Chapter
6 Postharvest coolchain:
1 26
temperature treatments were able to describe softening in treatments with more than one temperature, which indicates that k at a given temperature was not influenced by
exposure to different prior temperatures. Thus, k has the potential to describe the effects of temperature on softening of the RG and COP cultivars during postharvest handling. These results also confirm the importance of minimising the exposure of rapid softening apple cultivars to ambient temperatures during postharvest handling.
6.6 References
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B lanpied, G.D.,
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The effect of cooling rate on the market quality of McIntosh' apples. Proc. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci. 70, 58-66.D'Souza, M.C., Ingle, M.,
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Effect of delayed cooling on the poststorage flesh firmness of apples. 1. Food Sci. 54, 493-494.Fan, X., Blankenship, S.M., Mattheis, 1.P.,
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I -Methylcyclopropene inhibits apple ripening. 1. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci.1 24, 690-695.
Gerasopoulos, D., Richardson, D.G.,
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Storage-temperature-dependent time separation of softening and chlorophyll loss from the autocatalytic ethylene pathway and other ripening events of 'Anjou' pears. 1 . Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci.1 22, 680-685.
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Cold-induced activation of l -aminocyclopropane- l carboxylic acid metabolism i n rewarmed Granny Smith apples: Consequences on ripening. Sci. Hortic.