Title: Efficacy of 1-methylcyclopropene in purple passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) as affected by dosage and maturity stage

Authors: Jane Ambuko; Mueni Penina Yumbya; Solomon Shibairo; Willis Omondi Owino

Addresses: Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 29053-00625, Nairobi, Kenya ' Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 29053-00625, Nairobi, Kenya ' Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 29053-00625, Nairobi, Kenya ' Department of Food Science and Postharvest Technology, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O Box 62000-00200, Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract: The study was conducted to determine the efficacy of two 1-MCP application regimes (2 ppm for 24 hours and 4 ppm for 12 hours) to extend the shelf life of passion fruits. The fruits were harvested at two stages of maturity (stage 1 and 2) based on peel colour. After 1-MCP treatments, the fruits were kept at ambient room conditions (25 ± 1°C and RH 60 ± 5%) to ripen. Physiological and physicochemical changes associated with fruit ripening, including ethylene evolution, respiration rate, weight loss, peel colour, total soluble solids and total titratable acidity were evaluated every 2 or 3 days from six fruits which were randomly sampled from each of the treatment combinations. 1-MCP treatments significantly (p < 0.05) delayed or reduced the rate of most of the ripening changes irrespective of the harvest maturity. Overall, based on the physiological and physicochemical changes observed, 1-MCP treatments prolonged the postharvest shelf life of passion fruits harvested at stage 1 and 2 by 3 and 4 days respectively.

Keywords: passion fruit; 1-methylcyclopropene; 1-MCP treatment; postharvest shelf life; maturity; Passiflora edulis Sims; dosage; fruit ripening; ethylene evolution; respiration rate; weight loss; peel colour; total soluble solids; TSS; total titratable acidity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPTI.2014.068707

International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation, 2014 Vol.4 No.2/3/4, pp.126 - 137

Received: 16 Sep 2013
Accepted: 28 May 2014
Published online: 18 Apr 2015 *

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