Physiology of fresh-cut ‘Galia’ (Cucumis melo var. reticulatus) from ripe fruit treated with 1-methylcyclopropene

Abstract

Galia’ (Cucumis melo var. reticulatus L. Naud. cv. Galia) fruit were harvested at the three-quarter slip stage and treated with 1 L L−1 1- methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) at 20 ◦C for 24 h. The fruit were processed and stored as fresh-cut cubes and intact fruit for 10 d at 5 ◦C. Ethylene production of fresh-cut cubes was approximately 4–5-fold higher than intact fruit at day 1. Afterward, the ethylene production of fresh-cut cubes declined significantly whereas that of intact fruit remained relatively constant at about 0.69–1.04 ng kg−1 s−1 . 1-MCP delayed mesocarp softening in both fresh-cut and intact fruit and the symptoms of watersoaking in fresh-cut fruit. Continuously stored fresh-cut cubes and cubes derived from intact fruit not treated with the ethylene antagonist softened 27% and 25.6%, respectively, during 10 d storage at 5 ◦C while cubes derived from 1-MCP-treated fruit softened 9% and 17%, respectively. Fresh-cut tissue from 1-MCP-treated fruit exhibited slightly reduced populations of both total aerobic organisms and Enterobacterium, although the differences did not appear to be sufficient to explain the differences in keeping quality between 1-MCP-treated and control fruit. Based primarily on firmness retention and reduced watersoaking, 1-MCP treatment deferred loss of physical deterioration of fresh-cut ‘Galia’ cubes at 5 ◦C by 2–3 d compared with controls.