Introduction. The effects of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) were evaluated on white-flesh cv. Claudia and yellow-flesh cv. Nespolone di Trabia loquat fruit. Materials and methods. Application of 1-MCP [(0.5 to 1) µL×L–1 for 20 h)] was monitored at 20 °C (7 days) and 0 °C (7 days at 0 °C and then 7 days at 20 °C). Results. Treatments with 1-MCP slowed fruit softening, depending on the concentration. Softening inhibition was greatest in fruit treated and held at 20 °C. The optimum concentration for softening inhibition at 20 °C was 1 µL×L–1 of 1-MCP, while 0.5 µL×L–1 of 1-MCP was more effective at 0 °C. Conclusion. Treatments with 1-MCP inhibited titratable acidity loss in both cultivars. 1-MCP extends the shelf life of rapidly softening, perishable fruits such as loquat fruit.

Introduction. Sweet cherryfruit is a very perishable commodity, because fruits decay and losewater rapidly after harvest as a consequence of their high respiratoryrate. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectof the combination of hot water plus essential oil treatments andhot water treatment alone on the quality of ‘0900 Ziraat’ sweetcherries during cold storage. Materials and methods.Fruits were divided into four groups and were treated by dippinginto water at 24 °C for 30 s (control), dipping into water at 60 °Cfor 30 s, and dipping into water at 60 °C for 30 s plus either mentholtreatment or thymol treatment. After treatments, all fruits werepacked in polypropylene bags and stored at 0–1 °C temperature and90–95% relative humidity for 45 days. Physical and chemical changeswere determined at 15-day intervals during storage. Resultsand discussion. All of the postharvest treatments improvedfruit quality characteristics compared with fruit of the control.According to the data, after 45 days of storage, combination treatments were found to be more effectivein controlling decay. The treated fruits had higher total anthocyaninand total phenolic compounds. In control fruits, total anthocyanin andtotal phenolic compounds initially showed a slight increase, buttheir accumulation significantly decreased with time.

Introduction. Concerns about the potentially harmful effects of fungicides on human health and the environment encourage the search for alternative treatments for perishable fruit postharvest disease control. To this end, the potential use of oligochitosan as a natural antifungal compound to control postharvest anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum musae was investigated in banana fruits from the Cavendish group (genome AAA). Materials and methods. The influence of oligochitosan on the growth of C. musae was determined in vitro by micrographic analysis, while its in situ antifungal activity was monitored in banana fruits that were artificially injury-inoculated with C. musae; the activities of several defense-related enzymes were measured. Results and discussion. Oligochitosan at (4 and 8) g·L–1 markedly inhibited radial mycelial growth of C. musae in vitro. The scanning electron micrograph of C. musae treated with oligochitosan at inhibitory concentrations showed distortion and thinning of the hyphal wall and reduction in fungus colony diameter. Dipping banana fruits in oligochitosan solution at (5 to 20) g·L–1 significantly reduced the diameter of the anthracnose lesion, and 20 g oligochitosan·L–1 almost reached the same inhibitory effect as 0.5 g·L–1 of Sportak®, a synthetic fungicide. Activities of defense-related enzymes such as phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), β-1, 3-glucanase (GLU) and chitinase (CHT), but not polyphenol oxidase (PPO), increased in banana fruits treated with 0.5 g oligochitosan·L–1. Conclusion. The inhibitory effect of oligochitosan on anthracnose development is due to the combination of a direct antifungal effect on the pathogen and an indirect effect, whereby the activities of defense-related enzymes in the banana fruit were enhanced. To control anthracnose in harvested bananas, treatment with oligochitosan above 20 g·L–1 may substitute the use of synthetic fungicide.

Introduction Fruit quality characteristics are governed by preharvest factors, mainly climate, nutrition and plant bio-regulators, of which the latter two can easily be manipulated in the grower’s interest. Likewise, the postharvest treatments with the best performance can maintain quality during storage and distribution. Therefore, it is important to embrace a holistic approach to combine the pre- and postharvest practices in view of attaining maximum quality and satisfaction at the consumer level. Materials and methods. Various combinations of mineral nutrients (calcium and boron) and bio-regulators (salicylic acid and gibberellic acid) were applied at the pre- and postharvest stages of apple fruits to study their influence on postharvest behavior of these fruits during 60 days of storage under ambient conditions. Results and discussions Among the different treatments tried, fruits treated with either salicylic acid or calcium showed significant improvement with regards to improved physico-chemical characteristics and reduced fruit infection percentage. Integration of pre- and postharvest application of chemicals was verified as the most effective choice for the improvement of shelf life of apple fruits amongst the treatment combinations applied either at the pre- or postharvest stage. The application of salicylic acid in combination with calcium or boron renders an alternative to the use of fungicides to control decay during apple fruit storage.