Effect of 1-MCP Treatment on the Early-season Asian Pear Cultivar 'Wonhwang' in Response to Different Temperature Conditions during Simulated Exportation

We evaluated fruit quality and the incidence of physiological disorders in the Asian pear(Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) cultivar 'Wonhwang' in response to 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP, 1.0 mu L.L-1) treatment and different temperature conditions to determine its appropriate shelf-life period. Postharvest treatment with 1-MCP had a positive effect on 'Wonhwang' pears at all storage temperatures (18, 25, and 30 degrees C) with regard to flesh firmness. Marketable fruits (>20 N) were only attainted using 1-MCP-treated fruit after 21 days of storage. A high incidence of physiological disorders and fruit decay was detected in fruits stored at 30 degrees C, whereas a low incidence of physiological disorders including core browning, flesh browning, mealiness, and water soaking was detected in fruits treated with 1-MCP. Ethylene production and respiration rates increased with increasing temperature treatment. We detected high respiration rates in control fruits, reaching approximately two times higher than that of 1-MCP-treated fruits regardless of storage temperature. These results indicate that the efficacy of 1-MCP treatment on Asian pear depends on the storage temperature. Therefore, 1-MCP treatment should help maintain the quality of Asian pear fruits stored in high-temperature regions during the export process.