Pre- and postharvest inhibition of ethylene production and action by 1-MCP and the quality of apples and other horticultural products

1-Methylcycopropene (1-MCP)-based technologies have led to major changes in handling of horticultural products, especially apples, as well as providing insight into processes involved in ripening and senescence. Most research has focused on postharvest applications of 1-MCP, but new preharvest application technologies have been developed. By 2013, over 1200 papers had been published on 1-MCP and horticultural products, representing a vast increase of the postharvest knowledge base. This paper highlights some findings in the literature under four categories:

1) Effects of 1-MCP on ripening and senescence of horticultural products.
 Progress has been made on dissecting the involvement of ethylene in
 climacteric and non-climacteric systems, and the effects of 1-MCP on quality
 factors. Research is still needed to understand the reason for variation among
 product types.

2) Effects of 1-MCP on physiological disorders. Incidence of disorders can be
 increased or decreased according to the role of ethylene in their
 development, and therefore can be affected greatly by 1-MCP applications.

3) Development of handling protocols to maximize benefits of 1-MCP. Each
 product has different requirements for effective application of 1-MCP, and the
 apple is used to illustrate factors such as 1-MCP concentration, timing of its
 application, and non-target binding.

4) Development of novel methods for application of 1-MCP. These include
 preharvest applications, aqueous postharvest applications and incorporation
 of 1-MCP into films and other release systems.

1-MCP provides a tool for horticultural industries to maintain quality of products, especially apples, for the consumer and reduce waste, while also providing a powerful tool to investigate metabolic processes involved in ripening and senescence.