Effect of 1-methylcyclopropene on 'Rocha' pears at different stages of maturity stores under normal atmosphere

The effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment on the ripening of ‘Rocha’ pears harvested with different stages of maturity, during a cold storage period of seven months was evaluated. Twenty four hours after harvest, the fruits were treated with 300 ppb of 1-MCP for 24 h at 0 ºC. The fruits were stored under normal atmosphere at 0 ºC and 90-95 % RH. Fruit samples were removed from storage periodically and pulp firmness, skin colour, soluble solid content, starch index and titratable acidity were evaluated, immediately and after ashelf-life period of 7 and 15 days at 20 ºC. The results suggested that 1-MCP treatment delayed the loss of pulp firmness, titratable acidity and colour changes during the cold storage period. The same effects were noted when the pears were removed from the chamber and allowed to ripen at 20 ºC. However the efficacy of 1-MCP on the inhibition of the development of the quality attributes was affected by the stage of maturity of the pears before the treatmen