Effect of Preharvest applications of calcium, Antiethylene compounds and their combinations on “Canino” apricot fruit quality and storability

Abstract EN

This study was conducted during two sequential seasons of 2015 and 2016 in a private orchard located in El-Khattaba District, Menoufia Governorate, Egypt to investigate the influence of calcium chloride (CaCl2) at 2 %, anti-ethylene compounds namely Aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) at 150 ppm and 1- Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) at 25 ppm in addition to their combinations (CaCl2 plus AVG, CaCl2 plus 1- MCP, AVG plus 1-MCP and finally CaCl2 plus AVG and 1-MCP, at the same concentrations) on fruit drop at harvest and yield as well as firmness, jelly pulp and other quality parameters of “Canino” apricot fruits during cold storage at 0oC and 90- 95% RH for one month.

During 2015 and 2016 seasons, apricot trees were sprayed three times starting after full bloom, fruit setting and finally ten days before harvest.

Quality of sprayed fruits was evaluated at harvest and every ten days of cold storage.

The results showed that external browning, internal browning, jelly pulp, fresh weight loss, total sugars, total soluble solids (TSS), TSS to acidity ratio, carotene content were increased, while firmness, electrolyte leakage, vitamin C, acidity, chlorophylls a and b contents were decreased with the progress of cold storage duration.

Furthermore, the results revealed that all used treatments reduced external and internal browning symptoms in addition to jelly pulp formation and fruit fresh weight loss.

Moreover, the treatments lessened electrolyte leakage of fruits, retarded the loss of fruit firmness and were effective on keeping the physical and chemical qualities relative to the control treatment.

Finally, this study indicated that the addition of CaCl2 to anti- ethylene compounds was more effective than the individual application of each compound on reducing fruit abscission, increasing average fruit weight and yield/tree at harvest plus retarding the loss of firmness, other physical and chemical qualities and prolonging the storability of “Canino” apricots stored at 0oC, especially the combination of AVG and 1-MCP in the presence of CaCl2.