Abstract
‘Gold Rush’ pear (Pyrus communis L.) is a russet-coloured fruit with soft buttery textured flesh and is gaining wide popularity in Australia and other countries along with other pear cultivars. The fruit are sensitive to ethylene, and exposure even at very low concentrations significantly reduces the storage duration as well as fruit quality during storage. The efficacy of two new ethylene antagonist compounds, namely, 1H-cyclopropabenzene (BC) and 1H-cyclopropa[b]naphthalene (NC), as well as 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) in regulating ethylene production, respiration rates and maintaining the fruit quality of ‘Gold Rush' pear during 150 d and 200 d of controlled atmosphere (CA) storage (2.3 ± 0.5% O2 and 0.4 ± 0.15% CO2 and 0.50 ± 0.71 °C) was investigated. The pear fruit was fumigated with 1 µM BC (0.09 µL L−1) or 1 µM NC (0.14 µL L−1) or 18 µM 1-MCP (1 µL L−1) for 18 h at room temperature and the untreated fruit was considered as the control. Following 150 d and 200 d CA storage, the fruit fumigated with BC and NC exhibited significantly reduced ethylene and respiratory climacteric peak rates and they were lowest in the fruit treated with 1-MCP. The pear fruit fumigated with ethylene antagonists (BC, NC and 1-MCP) exhibited lower physiological loss of weight (PLW) (up to 2.06 times) and higher fruit firmness (up to 1.07 times) throughout the CA storage period, compared to the control fruit. The fruit fumigated with BC and NC had lower levels of SSC, glucose and sorbitol compared to other treatments. There was no significant effect of ethylene antagonist treatments on levels of individual organic acids, total phenols, ascorbic acid and total antioxidant capacity of the fruit pulp. Therefore, new ethylene antagonist compounds, BC and NC, exhibit the potential to act as ethylene antagonists in long-term CA-stored ‘Gold Rush’ pears to retard the fruit ripening process, extend storage life and maintain the fruit quality. The effectiveness of the different concentrations of BC and NC in suppressing ethylene production in different cultivars of pears warrants further investigation.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- BC:
-
1H-Cyclopropabenzene
- NC:
-
1H-Cyclopropa[b]naphthalene
- 1-MCP:
-
1-Methylcyclopropene
References
AgroFresh (2021) AgroFresh—We Grow Confidence. https://www.agrofresh.com/technologies. Accessed 1 Feb 2021
Apelbaum A, Sisler EC, Feng X, Goren R (2008) Assessment of the potency of 1-substituted cyclopropenes to counteract ethylene-induced processes in plants. Plant Growth Regul 55(2):101–113. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-008-9264-9
Bai J, Prange RK, Toivonen PA (2009) Pome fruits. In: Yahia EM (ed) Modified and controlled atmospheres for the storage, transportation, and packaging of horticultural commodities. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 267–286
Becker BR, Fricke BA (1996) Transpiration and respiration of fruits and vegetables. In: Murphy WE (ed) New developments in refrigeration for food safety and quality. American Society of Agricultural Engineers, St. Joseph, MI, pp 110–121
Biale JB, Young RE (1981) Respiration and ripening in fruits—retrospect and prospect. In: Friend J, Rhodes MJC (eds) Recent advances in the biochemistry of fruits and vegetables. Academic Press, London, pp 1–39
Billups WE, Chow WY (1973) Naphtho [b] cyclopropene. J Am Chem Soc 95(12):4099–4100. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00793a073
Blankenship SM, Dole JM (2003) 1-Methylcyclopropene: a review. Postharvest Biol Technol 28(1):1–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0925-5214(02)00246-6
Brand-Williams W, Cuvelier ME, Berset CLWT (1995) Use of a free radical method to evaluate antioxidant activity. LWT-Food Sci Technol 28(1):25–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0023-6438(95)80008-5
Calvo G, Sozzi GO (2004) Improvement of postharvest storage quality of ‘Red Clapp’s’ pears by treatment with 1-methylcyclopropene at low temperature. J Hortic Sci Biotechnol 79(6):930–934. https://doi.org/10.1080/14620316.2004.11511868
Davalian D, Garratt PJ, Koller W, Mansuri MM (1980) Strained aromatic systems. Synthesis of cyclopropabenzocyclobutenes, cyclopropanaphthocylobutenes, and related compounds. J Org Chem 45(21):4183–4193. https://doi.org/10.1021/jo01309a024
Defilippi BG, Manríquez D, Robledo P (2011) Use of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) as a strategy to improve post-harvest life of ‘Abate Fetel’ pears. Acta Hortic 909:739–744. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2011.909.91
Dhillon WS, Mahajan BVC (2011) Ethylene and ethephon induced fruit ripening in pear. J Stored Prod Postharvest Res 2(3):45–51
Escribano S, Sugimoto N, Macnish AJ, Biasi WV, Mitcham EJ (2017) Efficacy of liquid 1-methylcyclopropene to delay ripening of ‘Bartlett’ pears. Postharvest Biol Technol 126:57–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2016.11.007
Fan X, Blankenship SM, Mattheis JP (1999) 1-Methylcyclopropene inhibits apple ripening. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 124(6):690–695. https://doi.org/10.21273/JASHS.124.6.690
Fisher F, Applequist DE (1965) Synthesis of 1-methylcyclopropene. J Org Chem 30(6):2089–2090. https://doi.org/10.1021/jo01017a531
Giovannoni JJ (2008) Fruit ripening and its manipulation. In: Gan S (ed) Annual plant reviews (volume 26) senescence processes in plants. Blackwell Publishing Ltd., Oxford, pp 278–303
Gross KC, Wang CY, Saltveit ME (2016) USDA handbook 66: the commercial storage of fruits, vegetables, and florist and nursery stocks. USDA, Washington, DC, p 792
Hazel Tech (2021) Hazel technology inc. https://www.hazeltechnologies.com/products. Accessed 1 Feb 2021
Iqbal N, Khan NA, Ferrante A, Trivellini A, Francini A, Khan MIR (2017) Ethylene role in plant growth, development and senescence: interaction with other phytohormones. Front Plant Sci 8:475. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.00475
Keller N, Ducamp MN, Robert D, Keller V (2013) Ethylene removal and fresh product storage: a challenge at the frontiers of chemistry. Toward an approach by photocatalytic oxidation. Chem Rev 113(7):5029–5070. https://doi.org/10.1021/cr900398v
Kyaw PN (2019) Regulation of ethylene production and postharvest fruit quality of stone fruit using different formulations of new ethylene antagonists. Doctoral Dissertation, Curtin University, WA. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/78297
Larrigaudière C, Vilaplana R, Soria Y, Recasens I (2004) Oxidative behaviour of Blanquilla pears treated with 1-methylcyclopropene during cold storage. J Sci Food Agric 84(14):1871–1877. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.1850
Li Y, Zhang S, Dong Y (2020) Improving storability, physiological disorders, and antioxidant properties of ‘Bartlett’ and ‘d’Anjou’ pears (Pyrus communis L.) by pre-harvest 1-methylcyclopropene spraying. Int J Food Sci Technol 56(1):14609. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.14609
Logfresh (2021) Logfresh—Shandong Aoweite Biotechnology Co. Ltd. https://www.chinesepost-harvest.com/1-methylcyclopropene. Accessed 1 Feb 2021
Mahajan BVC, Singh K, Dhillon WS (2010) Effect of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on storage life and quality of pear fruits. J Food Sci Technol 47(3):351–354. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-010-0058-5
Martínez-Romero D, Bailén G, Serrano M, Guillén F, Valverde JM, Zapata P, Castillo S, Valero D (2007) Tools to maintain postharvest fruit and vegetable quality through the inhibition of ethylene action: a review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 47(6):543–560. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408390600846390
Musa MMA (2016) Structure activity relationship studies of new ethylene antagonists. Doctoral Dissertation, Curtin University, WA.
Pirrung MC, Bleecker AB, Inoue Y, Rodríguez FI, Sugawara N, Wada T, Zou Y, Binder BM (2008) Ethylene receptor antagonists: strained alkenes are necessary but not sufficient. Chem Biol 15(4):313–321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chembiol.2008.02.018
Robles-Sánchez RM, Islas-Osuna MA, Astiazarán-García H, Vazquez-Ortiz FA, Martín-Belloso O, Gorinstein S, González-Aguilar GA (2009) Quality index, consumer acceptability, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activity of fresh-cut “Ataulfo” mangoes (Mangifera indica L.) as affected by low-temperature storage. J Food Sci 74(3):S126–S134. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2009.01104.x
Sakaldas M, Gundogdu MA, Gur E (2016) The effects of preharvest 1-methylcyclopropene (Harvista) treatments on harvest maturity of “Santa Maria” pear cultivar. Acta Hortic 1242:287–294. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2019.1242.40
Saquet AA, Streif J (2017) Respiration rate and ethylene metabolism of ‘Jonagold’ apple and ‘Conference’ pear under regular air and controlled atmosphere. Bragantia 76(2):335–344. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4499.189
Singh Z, Payne AD, Khan SAKU, Musa MMA (2018) Method of retarding an ethylene response. U.S. Patent Application No. 15/772,324, filed November 15, 2018. https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2017075662A1/en
Sisler EC (2006) The discovery and development of compounds counteracting ethylene at the receptor level. Biotechnol Adv 24(4):357–367. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2006.01.002
Sisler EC, Alwan T, Goren R, Serek M, Apelbaum A (2003) 1-Substituted cyclopropenes: effective blocking agents for ethylene action in plants. Plant Growth Regul 40(3):223–228. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025080420990
Sisler EC, Grichko VP, Serek M (2006) Interaction of ethylene and other compounds with the ethylene receptor: agonists and antagonists. In: Khan NA (ed) Ethylene action in plants. Springer, Berlin, pp 1–34. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-32846-9:1
Tokala VY (2019) Postharvest interventions involving novel ethylene antagonists, ozone and Airofresh® in regulating ethylene and maintaining quality of apple and pear fruits. Doctoral Dissertation, Curtin University, WA
Tokala VY, Singh Z, Payne AD, Kyaw PN (2019) New ethylene antagonists regulate ethylene action and maintain fruit quality in long term-controlled atmosphere stored Gold Rush pear. 2019 American Society of Horticultural Sciences Conference (Las Vegas, USA)—July 21–25, 2019. https://ashs.confex.com/ashs/2019/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/30262
Tokala VY, Singh Z, Kyaw PN (2020) Fumigation and dip treatments with 1H-cyclopropabenzene and 1H-cyclopropa [b] naphthalene suppress ethylene production and maintain fruit quality of cold-stored ‘Cripps Pink’ apple. Sci Hortic 272:109597. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2020.109597
Tokala VY, Singh Z, Kyaw PN (2021) Postharvest fruit quality of apple influenced by ethylene antagonist fumigation and ozonized cold storage. Food Chem 341(2):128293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.128293
Tokala VY, Singh Z, Kyaw PN (2021) 1H-cyclopropabenzene and 1H-cyclopropa[b]naphthalene fumigation downregulates ethylene production and maintains fruit quality of controlled atmosphere stored ‘Granny Smith’ apple. Postharvest Biol Technol 176:111499. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2021.111499
Trinchero GD, Sozzi GO, Covatta F, Fraschina AA (2004) Inhibition of ethylene action by 1-methylcyclopropene extends postharvest life of “Bartlett” pears. Postharvest Biol Technol 32(2):193–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2003.11.009
Tucker GA (2012) Introduction. In: Seymour G, Taylor J, Tucker G (eds) Biochemistry of fruit ripening. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 1–51
Villalobos-Acuna MG, Biasi WV, Flores S, Mitcham EJ, Elkins RB, Willits NH (2010) Preharvest application of 1-methylcyclopropene influences fruit drop and storage potential of ‘Bartlett’ pears. HortScience 45(4):610–616. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.45.4.610
Watkins CB (2006) The use of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on fruits and vegetables. Biotechnol Adv 24(4):389–409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2006.01.005
Xie X, Zhao J, Wang Y (2016) Initiation of ripening capacity in 1-MCP treated green and red ‘Anjou’ pears and associated expression of genes related to ethylene biosynthesis and perception following cold storage and post-storage ethylene conditioning. Postharvest Biol Technol 111:140–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2015.08.010
Zhang J, Ma Y, Dong C, Terry LA, Watkins CB, Yu Z, Cheng ZMM (2020) Meta-analysis of the effects of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment on climacteric fruit ripening. Hortic Res 7:208. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41438-020-00405-x
Zhang H, Wu J, Zhao Z, Wang Z (2018) Non-destructive firmness measurement of differently shaped pears with a dual-frequency index based on acoustic vibration. Postharvest Biol Technol 138:11–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2017.12.002
Acknowledgements
V.Y. Tokala would like to thank the Australian Government and Curtin University for the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship (formerly known as International Postgraduate Research Scholarship) to pursue his PhD research program. Casuarina Valley Orchards, Beedelup, WA is gratefully acknowledged for providing the experimental fruit and access to CA storage facilities at Carmel, WA. The authors are obliged to Dr Alan D. Payne, for synthesising the BC, NC and 1-MCP and Ms Susan Petersen for the technical support provided during the experiment. The authors are thankful to Dr Satvinder Dhaliwal, Professor of Biostatistics, Curtin University for providing insights into the statistical analysis.
Funding
This research did not receive any specific Grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
VYT: Conceptualization, data curation, formal analysis, investigation, methodology, writing—original draft. ZS: Conceptualization, methodology, supervision, resources, writing—review and editing. PNK: Investigation, methodology, writing—review and editing.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Additional information
Handling Editor: Rhonda Peavy.
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tokala, V.Y., Singh, Z. & Kyaw, P.N. 1H-Cyclopropabenzene and 1H-Cyclopropa[b]naphthalene Fumigation Suppresses Climacteric Ethylene and Respiration Rates and Modulates Fruit Quality in Long-term Controlled Atmosphere-Stored ‘Gold Rush’ Pear Fruit. J Plant Growth Regul 40, 2276–2285 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-021-10387-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-021-10387-2