Effects of polyethylene film liner, 1-methylcyclopropene, and aminoethoxyvinylglycine treatments on fruit quality attributes of ‘tonewase’ persimmon fruits during cold storage

This study was carried out over two consecutive years to evaluate the effects of polyethylene (PE) film liner, 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), and aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) treatments on fruit quality attributes of ‘Tonewase’ persimmon in cold storage. Fruit was harvested at two different levels of maturity, at a normal commercial harvest date in the first year and 10 days earlier in the second year. The PE film liner treatment significantly suppressed losses of fresh weight during cold storage, compared with the other treatments in both years. However, peel color variables (L*, a*, and b*) in the calyx-end regions declined when treated with the PE film liner, compared with the other treatments in both years. None of the treatments affected ethylene production and fruit decay was not detected during storage between the treatments. The highest level of fruit softening was observed in persimmon fruit treated with the PE film liner, while the softening rate in the other treatments was less than 50% at the end of cold storage. Fruits in all treatments were unmarketable after 2 months of storage. For the persimmon fruit harvested at the normal harvest date, the treatment with 1-MCP resulted in the highest average respiration rate and the lowest soluble solids content (SSC), compared with fruit in the other treatments. For the persimmon fruit harvested at the early harvest date, flesh firmness of fruit treated with the PE film liner declined significantly, but less so than for fruit in the other treatments by the end of storage, whereas the SSC and respiration rate were not affected by any of the treatments during cold storage. The PE film liner significantly reduced fresh weight loss during cold storage and flesh firmness and peel color were significantly affected by this treatment in second year. Overall, the results suggested that fruit harvest time in terms of fruit maturity and PE film liner treatment would retain greater fruit quality attributes during storage.