Extending shelf-life of astringent persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) fruit by 1-MCP

We investigated the potential for commercial use of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) to extend the shelf life of 'Tonewase' and 'Saijo' fruit, Japanese astringent persimmon cultivars, in combination with a de-astringency treatment using high CO2 concentrations. The non-1-MCP treated fruit softened within 5 days after harvest, resulting in unacceptable quality. The 1-MCP treatments at more than 100 nl l(-1) for 16-48 h inhibited fruit softening for 12 and 16 days after harvest at room temperature, for 'Tonewase' and 'Saijo', respectively. Treatment with 10 nl l(-1) 1-MCP had a limited inhibitory effect on softening. A time lag of up to 12 h from harvest to the beginning of 1-MCP treatment did not reduce the beneficial effects of 1-MCP. Fruit treated with 1-MCP remained insensitive to ethylene for 4 days after the end of the treatment. These results indicate that 1-MCP has the potential to extend the shelf life of Japanese persimmons. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.