Postharvest Biology and Technology of Fruits, Vegetables, and Flowers

ENHANCING POSTHARVEST SHELF LIFE AND QUALITY 151
Fig. 7.4 Internal reddening of peaches treated with 1-MCP at harvest, stored 3 weeks at 0 ◦ C, and then 5 days at
20 ◦ C. (Top) 1-MCP treated; (bottom) control.
Strawberry fruits exposed to 1-MCP retained firmness and color better. However, disease
development was accelerated in fruit treated at high (0.5 and 1 μL/L) 1-MCP concentrations,
though not at lower concentrations (Ku et al., 1999b; Jiang et al., 2001). In another
study, exposure of strawberries to 0.01, 0.1, or 1 μL/L 1-MCP did not affect overall fruit
acceptability, but did slightly increase the rate of rot development (Bower et al., 2003).
Apples were found to be more susceptible to bitter rot (Colletotrichum acutatum) and
blue mold (Penicillium expansum) in 1-MCP treated than untreated fruit (Janisiewicz et al.,
2003). However, Saftner et al. (2003) found that 1-MCP reduced decay when fruits were
inoculated at harvest with P. expansum, Botrytis cinerea, and C. acutatum and subsequently
stored in controlled atmosphere. It appears that increased firmness due to 1-MCP treatment