The use of 1-methylcyclopropane (1-MCP) treatments has shown to delay quality
changes during storage on different horticultural products, including
cantaloupes and watermelons. Some factors that may affect the response to
treatments include the 1-MCP dose and the produce maturity stage. Selecting
appropriate produce maturity stage is critical, since it will potentially allow
to optimize the 1-MCP treatment benefits. The objective of this study was to
determine the effect of physiological maturity of cantaloupes and watermelons on
quality changes when treated with different doses of 1-MCP after harvest.
Cantaloupes Mission and Caravelle harvested at two maturity stages (half and
full slip) and one seedless watermelon variety harvested at two maturity stages
(fully mature and 「 1 week before fully mature, judged by destructive sampling)
were used in this study. Fruits were treated with 0, 0.1 and 1 ppm 1-MCP for 12
h. External and internal firmness, ethylene and CO2 production, appearance,
soluble solids, aroma, and color were analyzed during a period of 11 d and 23 d
after treatments for cantaloupes and watermelons, respectively. Storage was
conducted at room temperature. Results indicated that only 1-ppm 1-MCP
treatments delayed softening, decreased ethylene and CO2 production in Mission
cantaloupes. Both maturity stages showed a response to 1-MCP with full slip
maturity showing a slightly higher response. Caravelle melons at both maturity
stages were not affected by 1-MCP treatments. On the other hand, watermelons
showed no significant changes in physiological and physical parameters during
storage when treated with 0, 0.1 and 1 ppm 1-MCP treatments. These results
indicate that melon fruit response to 1-MCP will depend mainly on the type of
melon treated and that maturity stage may influence the response intensity.
Firmness is the quality factor that was selectively affected by the 1-MCP
treatments in melon fruit.
J. E. VILLARREAL and L. Cisneros-Zevallos. Dept. of
Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M Univ., 202 Horticulture and Forestry Science
Bldg., 2133 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2133