The effect of preharvest application of aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) and ethephon combined with controlled atmosphere (CA) storage conditions on peach fruit (cv. Eldorado) quality maintenance and chilling injury prevention was investigated, aiming at the maritime transport. Treatments evaluated were preharvest application of AVG (125g ha-1 and 250g ha-1 at 15 or 21 days before harvest), ethephon (140g ha-1 7 days before harvest), and control, combined with two CA conditions (1.0kPa O2 + 3.0kPa CO2 and 2.0kPa O2 + 5.0kPa CO2 at 0°C). After 24 days of CA storage plus 2 and 4 days of shelf-life at 15°C, preharvest application of ethephon stimulated fruit ripening by increasing ethylene production and decreasing both flesh firmness and titratable acidity. Application of AVG did not delay fruit ripening. However, fruit treated with 125g ha-1 of AVG at 15 days before harvest showed lower incidence of internal browning than ethephon-treated and control fruit. Furthermore, storage of fruit under CA with 2.0kPa O2 + 5.0kPa CO2 allowed higher titratable acidity and lower incidence of internal browning.
Prunus persica (L.) Batsch.; AVG; ethylene; internal browning
