Presenter: Anél Botes
Event: CA Meeting – 5 November 2020
Introduction and Objectives
- Currently, ‘Abate Fetel’ (AF) pears can be stored at 1.5% O₂ and 0.5% CO₂ for 4 months.
- AF is susceptible to soft scald when stored at low oxygen.
- AF is also susceptible to superficial scald.
Objective:
To evaluate the effect of different storage regimes on the quality of ‘Abate Fetel’ pears in order to extend the storage life to possibly 6 months.
Materials and Methods
- Season: 2019
- Production areas: Grabouw and Ceres
- Maturity: Optimum and post-optimum
Treatments
- 1.5% O₂ + 0.5% CO₂ at -0.5°C (CA1.5)
- 1-MCP + 1.5% O₂ + 0.5% CO₂ at -0.5°C (SF+CA1.5: -0.5°C)
- 1-MCP + 1.5% O₂ + 0.5% CO₂ at 1°C (SF+CA1.5: 1°C)
- DCA-CF (0.7% O₂) (DCA)
- DCA-CF + 1-MCP (1-MCP applied pre-shipment) (DCA+SF)
- 1-MCP + RA at -0.5°C (SF+RA: -0.5°C)
- 1-MCP + RA at 1°C (SF+RA: 1°C)
- Fruit quality evaluation: After 4 and 6 months (+ 6 weeks RA + 7 days at 20°C)
Fruit Quality Parameters
- Total soluble solids (TSS)
- Titratable acidity (TA)
- Firmness (kg)
- Skin colour (scale 1–5)
Sensory Evaluation
- Appearance (1–10)
- Taste (1–10)
- Texture (1–10)
- Off-taste (1–10)
Physiological Disorders
- Superficial scald (%)
- Soft scald (%)
- All other internal and external disorders
Results and Discussion
Grabouw Production Area
- Optimum maturity: Results after 7-day shelf-life
- Post-optimum maturity: Results after 7-day shelf-life
Ceres Production Area
- Optimum maturity: Results after 7-day shelf-life
- Post-optimum maturity: Results after 7-day shelf-life
Conclusions
- 1-MCP + CA/RA: No physiological disorders after 6 months (except for post-optimum fruit from Ceres).
- CA stored fruit not ready-to-eat.
- Optimum RA fruit ready-to-eat (except for post-optimum fruit from Ceres).
- DCA and DCA+1-MCP only effective in one area and one maturity.
- Store optimum fruit for 4 or 6 months.
- 1-MCP + RA is the most cost-effective option.
Acknowledgements
- Funders: ARC and HortgroScience
- Technical assistance: Howard, Viole, and Vanessa