ASHS 2024 Conference

Dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA) storage suppresses the ripening of apple fruit during storage to a greater extent than standard CA storage. DCA is a relatively new technology, and it has the potential to markedly alter the volatile profile of apple fruit. It has been found that DCA storage can suppress the most important aroma volatiles of stored apple fruit. What we don't know is the length of time and the conditions needed to recover that loss in aroma, especially when DCA is applied in combination with the ethylene action inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). A critical concern about 1-MCP is that apple flavor is compromised in treated fruit because aroma volatiles are so closely linked with ethylene response. Apple fruit from high-value cultivars were stored under a DCA regimen (approximately 0.4% O2), with and without 1-MCP treatment, for 3, 6, and 9 months. Following removal of fruit from DCA, the volatile profile and fruit quality traits were measured for up to 5 weeks while being held at room temperature. The recovery of aroma formation following storage for 6 months was essentially immediate for ‘Red Delicious’ fruit if 1-MCP was not used. The recovery was a little slower for one of the replicate studies if DCA was used. If the fruit were treated with 1-MCP, there was a 2-week delay in the recovery of aroma formation. ‘Evercrisp’ aroma formation was much lower than ‘Red Delicious’ and the responses to DCA and 1-MCP differed from that of Red Delicious. Aroma formation remained very low for 3 to 4 weeks at room temperature following CA and DCA storage and never recovered following 1-MCP treatment for the 5-week duration of the study. The data for aroma formation after 9 months was similar to that at the 6-month time point for ‘Red Delicious’ in terms of 1-MCP responses. However, the effect of DCA seemed to be more pronounced, suppressing aroma recovery for an additional week at room temperature. For ‘Evercrisp’, the 9-month data were quite similar to those from 6 months storage.