Effect of preharvest aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) on fruit quality attributes 'Formosa' plum stored at ambient temperature

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of a preharvest treatment with aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) on fruit quality during ambient temperature storage of 'Fomosa' plum (Prunus salicina). Flesh firmness of the control fruit during storage decreased to less than 2.00 N after 12 days of storage, but AVG treated fruits remained above 4.00 N after 20 days of storage. The amount of ethylene produced in the control fruit began to increase from 12 days after storage and rapidly increased to 90.0 μL/kg/h after 20 days of storage. However, AVG treated fruits showed low ethylene production of 20.0 μL/kg/h after 24 days of storage. The titratable acid (TA) of control fruit decreased from 1.15% at harvest to 0.87% at 20 days after storage, but AVG treated fruits remained high at 1.04-1.08% after 24 days of storage. The redness (a∗) of the fruit peel at harvest was not statistically significant but increased in the AVG treated fruits during storage. Therefore, pre-harvest AVG treatment in 'Formosa' plums was effective to maintain the quality of fruits by decreasing the ethylene production and maintaining flesh firmness and TA of fruit during ambient temperature storage.