Ripening and quality of 'Laetitia' plums treated with salicylic acid and 1-methylcyclopropene

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of salicylic acid (SA), alone and combined with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), on ripening and quality of 'Laetitia' plums under cold storage (40 days at 1 ± 0.1 °C / RH 94 ± 2%). The treatments were: control; 1 mM of AS; 5 mM of AS; 10 mM of AS; and 5 mM of AS + 1-MCP (1 ∝L L-1). Fruit treated with 10 mM of AS showed higher ethylene production rate and higher incidence of skin black spots at removal from cold storage, and higher flesh browning after three days at ambient condition. In fruit treated with 5 mM of AS, the treatment with 1-MCP reduced the rate of ethylene production and reduced the incidence of flesh browning, increased the texture attributes, and reduced the skin red color. AS has no effect on flesh browning incidence and ripening of 'Laetitia' plums and increases the incidence of skin black spots at doses above 5 mM. In fruit treated with 5 mM of AS, the treatment with 1-MCP delays ripening and maintains the quality of 'Laetitia' plums.

Prunus salicina; postharvest; flesh browning