Peaches [Prunus persica (L.) Bastch] present reduced post-harvest shelf life, partially, due to their high respiratory rate and fast ripening. These processes are related to ethylene production, as well as its action. Peaches, cv. Aurora-1, were picked at two different ripening stages (mature green and ripe) and treated with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), the ethylene's competitive antagonist, at concentrations of 0, 100, 300 and 900 nL L-1 for 12 hours at 25ºC. After treatment, the fruits were stored at room temperature (25ºC) for six days. Fruits treated with 1-MCP presented better firmness and less ground color loss than non-treated fruits. The 1-MCP antagonist reduced the development of fruit rot at the mature green stage, but not at the ripe one. The 1-MCP shows commercial application potential in the treatment of peaches in order to delay the ripening process and increase their shelf life.
Prunus persica; 1-MCP; ethylene; storage; firmness
