Cultivar, maturity at harvest and postharvest treatments influence softening of apricots
S. Gabioud Rebeaud, Laura Cioli, Pierre-Yves Cotter, Danilo Christen
Abstract
Apricots are characterised by a rapid softening after harvest, resulting in a high susceptibility to mechanical damage and decay risk. Postharvest tools that accelerate or slow ripening can improve fruit quality to meet consumer preferences without impairing the supply chain. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 1.0 µL L−1 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) and 1000 µL L−1 ethylene treatment on ‘Bergarouge®’, ‘Farely’ and ‘Swired’ apricots. The influence of maturity at harvest was also investigated, focusing on softening and the texture change. The results showed that 1-MCP reduced softening of the three cultivars, independent of the maturity stage. Ethylene, applied during the shelf life, accelerated softening of ‘Bergarouge®’ and ‘Farely’, but it did not influence the firmness of ‘Swired’. Both treatments had little or no influence on other quality parameters, such as the total soluble solids, titratable acidity and skin colour. The textural properties of the flesh and skin changed in a cultivar-dependent manner. Further, 1-MCP and ethylene treatments influenced these parameters differently according to the cultivar and maturity stage. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the cultivar is the most important factor in the effectiveness of 1-MCP and ethylene treatments to slow down or accelerate apricot softening after harvest. Texturometry enabled a better understanding of how the maturity stage and postharvest treatments influence the softening of apricots in a cultivar-specific manner.