HISTORY, CURRENT SITUATION AND FUTURE PROSPECTS FOR DYNAMIC CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE (DCA) STORAGE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, USING CHLOROPHYLL FLUORESCENCE
The use of chlorophyll fluorescence in fruit and vegetable storage (HarvestWatchTM) was first introduced at the ISHS CA symposium in 2001 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and was first commercially adopted in the 2003-2004 storage season in Washington State, USA and South Tyrol, Italy.
Although there are many potential postharvest applications for chlorophyll fluorescence that will be reviewed, research and commercial adoption has focussed primarily on its use in optimising the O2 concentration in dynamic controlled-atmosphere (DCA) storage of fruits and vegetables.
This is achieved through a novel method of detection of a sudden change in fluorescence at the lower O2 limit (LOL). The reasons for its adoption are: real-time monitoring and control of product, pesticide-free technique, accurate determination of LOL, control of storage disorders, especially superficial scald in susceptible apple and pear cultivars without use of pesticides such as diphenylamine (DPA), improved retention of quality, possible flavour enhancement and detection of senescence, decay or incorrect storage conditions, i.e., temperature.
A summary of the current use of HarvestWatchTM will be presented.
Preliminary results from applications in other high value fruits, e.g., extension of green-life in banana, programmed DCA for avocado, will be presented as evidence of possible future applications.
Prange, R.K., Wright, A.H., DeLong, J.M. and Zanella, A. (2013). HISTORY, CURRENT SITUATION AND FUTURE PROSPECTS FOR DYNAMIC CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE (DCA) STORAGE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, USING CHLOROPHYLL FLUORESCENCE. Acta Hortic. 1012, 905-915
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2013.1012.122
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2013.1012.122
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2013.1012.122
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2013.1012.122
diphenylamine, superficial scald, lower oxygen limit, stress detection, flavour life
English