Abstract:‘Xuehua’ pears were treated with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) after harvest to improve their storage quality and to extend their shelf life. Physio-biochemical indices of the fruits were investigated after cold storage. Treatment of ‘Xuehua’ pears with 0.5 and 1.0 μL/L 1-MCP maintained their firmness and titratable acid content but did not exert any significant effect on total soluble solid and sugar contents after cold storage. Further, treatment of the fruits with 1-MCP markedly decreased their respiration and ethylene production rates, inhibited the increase in water-soluble pectin content, and decreased cyclohexanediamine tetraacetic acid- and Na2CO3-soluble pectin content in the pulp of the fruits after cold storage. In addition, 1-MCP treatment markedly decreased core browning index, soluble phenol content, and polyphenol oxidase activity and increased peroxidase activity after cold storage of the fruits for 270 days. However, 1-MCP treatment did not significantly affect superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in the core tissue of the fruits after cold storage. These effects were more apparent after treatment with 1.0 μL/L 1-MCP, suggesting that this concentration could be used to maintain the quality of ‘Xuehua’ pears during cold storage.
