Storage protocol modulates ripening behavior and physiological disorders of 1-MCP treated 'Abate Fetel' pears

It has been shown that in pears treatment at harvest with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) inhibits superficial scald (SupSc) and prevents or controls soft scald (SoftSc) and internal breakdown (IntBk), but the 1-MCP dose inhibiting scald development can impair fruit ripening. Storage conditions (time, atmosphere, temperature) influence texture and sensory quality of 1-MCP treated pears during shelf life. This research aimed at studying the ripening behavior and the physiological disorders of 1-MCP treated (300 nL L^-1) 'Abate Fetel' pears stored for 18, 27 and 35 weeks at -0.5 and 1°C under normal atmosphere (NA), controlled atmosphere (CA, 8 kPa O₂ + 1 kPa CO₂), and CA for 18 weeks followed by NA (CA+NA) after shelf life (20°C, 7 days). At -0.5°C fruit softening was strongly reduced and skin yellowing was slower, mainly in CA and CA+NA. Fruit stored at 1°C softened at an edible texture after 27 weeks in CA+NA and in all the atmospheres after 35 weeks and skin yellowing was faster and enhanced in CA+NA. Fruit stored at -0.5°C had the same sensory profile as fruit kept at 1°C after 18 weeks of storage; pears stored at 1°C for 35 weeks were judged softer, more juicy, less grainy, sweeter, sourer and more aromatic than those stored at -0.5°C. More than 92% of pears stored at -0.5°C were sound. Fruit stored in CA at 1°C developed internal browning (IntBr) and IntBk at low levels (<2%) after 27 weeks and ≈15% after 35 weeks, along with 10% of SupSc. CA+NA fruit stored at 1°C were almost sound (>95%) after 27 weeks, while after 35 weeks fruit were affected by rot (17%), IntBr (17%) and IntBk (33%). Our results showed that it is advisable to store 1-MCP treated 'Abate Fetel' pears at 1°C in CA+NA up to 27 weeks in order to have marketable fruit with an edible texture.