Document Type : Full Paper
Authors
1
Department of Horticultural Science and Engineering, University Campus, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran
2
Department of Horticultural Science and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran
3
Department of Post-harvest Physiology and Technology, Citrus and Subtropical Fruits Research Center, Horticultural Sciences Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Ramsar, Iran
4
Professor, Department of Postharvest, Plant and Food Research Institute, Auckland, New Zealand
5
Department of Genetic and Breeding, Citrus and Subtropical Fruits Research Center, Horticultural Sciences Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Ramsar, Iran.
Abstract
The most important challenge for avocado fruit exporters is the fruit grey pulp. Therefore, in this study, the effects of different harvest times (240, 270 and 300 days after full bloom, DAFB) and post-harvest ethylene treatment (0 and 100 ppm) on grey pulp incidence and other quality-related characteristics in ‘Hass’ avocado fruits during cool storage at 5˚C for 6 weeks was investigated. The results showed that delaying harvest increased the percentage of graying of fruit flesh by increasing sensitivity to ethylene. Fruits harvested 270 and 300 days after full bloom (DAFB) showed 100 percentage grey pulp when treated with 100 mg L-1 ethylene and placed in cool storage. Moreover, delay in fruit harvesting caused a significant increase in fruit weight, skin weight, pulp weight, seed weight, dry matter percentage and oil percentage of fruits. The highest amount of oil phenol was in control fruits when treated with ethylene. The highest total flavonoid and antioxidant activity in avocado oil was found in the second harvest time in control. Correlation coefficients between traits showed a positive correlation between the percentage of grey pulp incidence and fruit weight at maturity and seed weight, and a positive correlation was found between grey pulp severity and oil flavonoids. Delaying harvest time in avocados improves fruit size and quality, but the sensitivity of fruits to grey pulp increases in contaminated environments to ethylene under cool storage.
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