The purpose of this work was to determine the influence of the interval between harvest and 1-MCP application on 1-MCP efficiency in delaying ripening in Golden papaya. Fruits were harvested from commercial orchards located in Linhares, ES, in a second stage of maturation, stored at 11±1ºC and treated with 1-MCP (100 nL.L-1) 0, 1, 2 and 3 days after harvest. Treated and non-treated fruits were kept at 11±1ºC for 6 days and, then, were stored at 22±1.5ºC and 80-90%RH until complete ripening. 1-MCP delayed loss of firmness and skin color changes. Non-treated fruits reached ideal firmness for consumption between the 2nd and 4th day of storage at 22ºC. Fruits treated with 1-MCP on the 2nd or 3rd day after harvest reached consumption stage between the 8th and 10th day of storage at 22ºC. While fruits treated with 1-MCP one day after harvest reached optimum firmness for consumption on the 12th day of storage at 22ºC, those treated on the harvest day did not softened. Though more subtly, skin color behaved in a similar way as firmness. There was a slight increase in soluble solids amounts in fruits along ripening. The lower the interval between harvest and 1-MCP application, the longer the 1-MCP efficiency in delaying ripening in Golden papaya. This is the key information when defining the application procedure for 1-MCP as a ripening regulator.
