ASHS 2024 Conference: Full Schedule

12:15pm HST

PH 1/QUAL - Identification of Genes Associated with the Chilling Prerequisites for Ripening in European Pear

Tuesday September 24, 2024 12:15pm - 12:25pm HST

The pear (Pyrus communis L.) has been classified as a climacteric fruit, undergoing a ripening process characterized by a transition from system-I to system-II ethylene production. This transition denotes a change in the regulation of ethylene biosynthesis from being auto-inhibitory to auto-stimulatory process. Increased ethylene production during climacteric ripening is accompanied by a corresponding rise in respiration. Pears require chilling for ripening, and the duration of chilling necessary for ripening varies among cultivars. ‘Bartlett

Speakers

Adwaita Parida

Texas A

Co-authors

Amit Dhingra

Texas A

Tuesday September 24, 2024 12:15pm - 12:25pm HST
South Pacific 1

Poster presentation (individual talk), Postharvest 1

SUBJECT Postharvest

12:25pm HST

PH 1/QUAL - Effects of Cooling Delay and Harvest Maturity on ‘Gem’ Pear Internal Breakdown Development

Tuesday September 24, 2024 12:25pm - 12:35pm HST

South Pacific 1

‘Gem’ pear is a relatively new European pear cultivar with good fire blight resistance. Fruit can be eaten without ripening, either at harvest or upon removing from cold storage, when still crisp and juicy, or can be expected to ripen to a buttery melting texture after 30-60 days of regular-air (RA) storage (~30 °F). Although research initially indicated ‘Gem’ could be stored in RA conditions for 5 months with good quality retention, in practice ‘Gem’ storage has proved more challenging, primarily due to internal breakdown which can appear as early as 2 months after storage, either in RA or controlled atmosphere (CA) conditions. Additionally, with increasing commercial production of ‘Gem’, there is industry interest in extending storage beyond 5 months. This on-going study evaluates factors potentially influencing internal breakdown development, such as cooling delay (representing a delay of room temperature establishment at storage facility) and fruit maturity in year 1 and cooling delay and rate of controlled atmosphere (CA) establishment in year 2. In year 1, internal breakdown incidence was essentially absent for fruit harvested at 56 N flesh firmness but higher for fruit harvested at 44 N, especially where cooling was delayed. Fruit harvested at 56 N did not soften to below 18 N at 60 d storage, indicating a longer period of postharvest chilling is required for less mature fruit.

Speakers

Janet Turner

Bio-Science Research Technician, USDA-ARS Hood River Worksite

Co-authors

Kristal Dowell

USDA-ARS Hood River Worksite

Rachel Leisso

USDA-ARS Hood River Worksite

Yu Dong

State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture

Tuesday September 24, 2024 12:25pm - 12:35pm HST
South Pacific 1

Poster presentation (individual talk), Postharvest 1

SUBJECT Postharvest

12:35pm HST

PH 1/QUAL - Efficacy of Ultraviolet Radiation for Control of the Mucor Rot Pathogen in Post-harvest Anjou and Bartlett Pears

Tuesday September 24, 2024 12:35pm - 12:45pm HST

South Pacific 1

Mucor rot is caused by the pathogen Mucor piriformis, which can be responsible for severe post-harvest decay in a wide variety of commercially important fruit. There are a minimal number of fungicides that have been shown to be effective against Mucor rot. As a result, alternative methods for control of Mucor rot are currently being investigated. Ultraviolet light in the C spectrum (UV-C) is a germicidal form of radiation that has been demonstrated to kill common post-harvest pathogens. Little information is available for the effectiveness of UV-C light against M. piriformis. For this study, a Far-UV light (222-nm) and a UV-C light (265-nm) were tested for their ability to inactivate M. piriformis. The effects of three UV-C light treatments (0kJ, 10kJ, and 20kJ) were tested on Anjou and Bartlett pears that had been wound inoculated with M. piriformis. Lesion sizes were measured after five weeks in cold storage. The optimal dose required to inactivate M. piriformis in vitro in polystyrene wells with the Far-UV light was found to be 9 kJ, which, with available bulbs set at 8 cm distance, required 17 minutes of treatment. Results showed no significant effect of treatment on final lesion size for both the Far-UV light and the UV-C light. For both lights, final mean lesion sizes were larger for fruit that had been treated with the 20kJ and 10 kJ treatments when compared to the control fruit that received no UV-C treatment. Results from this study suggest that UV-C radiation in the 222-nm and 265-nm light spectrum have minimal impacts on reducing rot caused by M. piriformis in Anjou and Bartlett pears, and, given the duration of treatment required for spore deactivation, this technology may prove impractical for managing M. piriformis on other components of pear packing systems.

Speakers

Shawn McMurtrey

USDA-ARS

Co-authors

Janet Turner

USDA-ARS

Kevin Wang

USDA-ARS

Rachel Leisso

USDA-ARS Hood River Worksite

Tuesday September 24, 2024 12:35pm - 12:45pm HST
South Pacific 1

Poster presentation (individual talk), Postharvest 1

SUBJECT Postharvest

12:45pm HST

PH 1/QUAL - Preliminary Insights Into the Effects of Various Technologies of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) “AnsiP®” on Apple Fruit Quality During Shelf Life

Tuesday September 24, 2024 12:45pm - 12:55pm HST

South Pacific 1

Various postharvest formulations of 1-MCP have been innovated to optimize its efficacy for repeated use across storage, transportation, and retail stages. For small farms or fruits destined for farmers' markets, utilizing postharvest technologies with minimal 1-MCP concentrations is pivotal. In this trial, fruit from ‘Empire’, ‘Red Delicious’, and ‘RubyFrost’ apples was obtained from Cornell orchards in Lansing NY and Cornell AgriTech orchards in Geneva NY, on October 1, 4, and 13, respectively. Fruit were transported to the postharvest laboratory at Cornell University in Ithaca NY and fruit maturity indices were assessed. After cooling the fruit overnight, three different formulations of 1-MCP (tablet - AnsiP®-G, sticker - AnsiP®-Sticker, and sheet - AnsiP®-S, LYTONE Enterprise, Inc., Taiwan) were tested. The treatments were applied to fruit packed in cardboard boxes (30×30×48 cm), each containing 4 trays, at 3 °C for 24 hours. Fruit were then transferred to 20 ⁰C for 4 weeks, and fruit quality including internal ethylene concentration (IEC), flesh firmness, soluble solid content, titratable acidity, fruit color, IAD value index for peel chlorophyll content, and fruit weight were assessed weekly. Additionally, the release dynamics of 1-MCP from tablets, stickers, and sheets were evaluated in different trial. The 1-MCP tablets outperformed other treatments in reducing IEC and maintaining fruit firmness. The effects of different 1-MCP technologies on apple fruit quality and longevity during shelf life will be discussed.

Speakers

Yosef Al Shoffe

Cornell Univeristy

Tuesday September 24, 2024 12:45pm - 12:55pm HST
South Pacific 1

Poster presentation (individual talk), Postharvest 1

SUBJECT Postharvest

12:55pm HST

PH 1/QUAL - Pre-Storage Ambient Temperature Delay Reduces Lenticel Blotch by Mediating Metabolic Alteration in Cold-Stored ‘Summer Prince’ Apples

Tuesday September 24, 2024 12:55pm - 1:05pm HST

South Pacific 1

Lenticel blotch as peel physiological disorder occurs in cold-stored apple fruit, characterized by irregular shape breakdown tissue without extending to the flesh. This study aimed to evaluate the postharvest treatment effects on fruit quality attributes, mineral nutrients, targeted metabolites, and incidence of lenticel blotch, and their relationship in cold stored ‘Summer Prince’ apple fruit. Fruits were harvested from 2 orchards, treated with postharvest 1-MCP, pre-storage ambient temperature delay for 7 days (ATC), and 1-MCP ATC at harvest and then stored at 0.5 °C for 5 months. There were significant differences in the organic matter content, nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N), and phosphoric acid contents in the soil. Calcium, manganese, copper, and zinc in leaf tissues were significantly different between 2 orchards. Lenticel blotch was effectively controlled by ATC treatment, while exacerbated by 1-MCP. Based on the results of VIP scores, histidine, valine, sucrose, K/Ca ratio, (K Mg P)/Ca ratio, total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids, ABTS, and DPPH were influenced by the postharvest treatments. In the results of volcano plot analysis, ATC treatment effectively controlled the symptoms and up-regulated in amino acids, such as valine, histidine, proline, and isoleucine. However, 1-MCP treatment caused to induce lenticel blotch by upregulating aspartic acid and glutamic acid. Therefore, the results indicated that pre-storage ambient temperature delay should control the lenticel blotch by mediating targeted metabolic alteration during cold storage.

Speakers

Hyowon Park

Chung-Ang University

Co-authors

Hnin Phyu Lwin

Washington State University

Jeonghee Kim

National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science

Jinhee Lee

Chung-Ang University

Jinwook Lee

Chung-Ang University

Jongtaek Park

National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science

Seung Yeon Han

Chung-Ang University

Soon-il Kwon

National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science

Tuesday September 24, 2024 12:55pm - 1:05pm HST
South Pacific 1

Poster presentation (individual talk), Postharvest 1

SUBJECT Postharvest

1:05pm HST

PH 1/QUAL - 1-Methylcyclopropene from differing sources: Impact on ‘Red Delicious’ apple during cold storage

Tuesday September 24, 2024 1:05pm - 1:15pm HST

South Pacific 1

Ethylene affects the postharvest quality and storage life by affecting the physiological changes related to ripening in apple fruits. 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), a cyclopropane-derived compound, is an effective ethylene inhibitor that blocks ethylene receptors at the cellular level, preventing ethylene effects and delaying its production. Several commercial products are available that provide controlled release of 1-MCP. In this study, a new 1-MCP technology was used, which uses a polymer sheeting material coated with cyclodextrin-encapsulated 1-MCP that is released when exposed to high humidity. Red Delicious apples were commercially harvested in Elbridge, Michigan, and 1-MCP sheets were applied targeting different 1-MCP concentrations (50, 100, 1000, 4000 ppb) and were placed on top of the fruit held in vented cardboard apple boxes in an open room. Another commercial 1-MCP product, Easyfresh®, powder (EF), (Fine Americas, Walnut Creek, CA) was applied at multiple dosages (0, 5, 50, 100, 1000 ppb) to fruit in cardboard apple boxes within sealed chambers as controls. Treated and untreated apples were stored in a cold room at 0 °C temperature and >90% relative humidity. We examined changes in ethylene production, respiration rate, firmness, soluble solids, titratable acidity, weight loss, and superficial scald during 7 months cold storage. The EF treatment was more effective than the 1-MCP sheet treatment for a given target concentration. The effect of 4000 ppb 1-MCP sheet was similar to the 50 ppb EF for the first 3 months of cold storage. The lack of effectiveness of the 1-MCP from sheet was likely due to escape of the 1-MCP from the apple box and off-target sorption by the cardboard. EF 100 and 1000 ppb concentrations resulted in the lowest ethylene production, respiration rate, weight loss, and superficial scald values in the overall study for 6 months. These concentrations were also influential in preserving firmness, brix, and titratable acidity values. 1-MCP sheet efficacy could be improved by raising the dosage target or changing the architecture and the materials of the boxes in which treatment occurred.

Speakers

Ozge Horzum

Ankara University

Co-authors

Randolph Beaudry

Michigan State University

Dr. Randolph Beaudry, Professor, MSU Department of Horticulture (MSc, PhD, University of Georgia). His appointment is 50% MSU Extension and 50% AgBioResearch. His research program includes both regional and international projects and focuses on the physiology of plant responses to... Read More →

Tuesday September 24, 2024 1:05pm - 1:15pm HST
South Pacific 1

Poster presentation (individual talk), Postharvest 1

SUBJECT Postharvest