APS Abstracts of Presentations

Effect of 1-methylcyclopropene on susceptibility of apples to postharvest decays
D. A. ROSENBERGER (1), F. W. Meyer (1), A. L. Rugh (1)
(1) Cornell University’s Hudson Valley Lab, Highland, NY 12528, USA
Phytopathology 96:S100

1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), an ethylene biosynthesis blocker used in commercial apple storages, was applied to apples immediately after harvest to determine if it would affect development of postharvest apple decays caused by Penicillium expansum. In 2002, 1-MCP did not affect decay incidence in non-wounded Empire apples held in three different controlled-atmosphere (CA) storages. However, wound-inoculated (w-i) fruit treated with 1-MCP developed more decay than controls in one CA storage and also in one cold air storage. In two trials in 2004 and one in 2005, w-i Empire fruit treated with 1-MCP and held in cold air storage for 90 days had a higher incidence of blue-mold decay than w-i fruit that were stored without 1-MCP treatment. In a trial where fludioxonil, pyrimethanil, thiabendazole, and pyraclostrobin-plus-boscolid were applied with and without 1-MCP treatment, no interactions between fungicide and 1-MCP treatments were detected when treatments were evaluated for decay incidence and for retention of fruit firmness. In another trial with Delicious fruit, effects of 1-MCP on fruit firmness after 90 days in cold air storage was similar for fruit with and without moldy core, and severity of moldy core symptoms was not exacerbated by 1-MCP treatment. Although 1-MCP consistently caused increases in decay for w-i fruit held in air storage, we conclude that 1-MCP is unlikely to have a major impact on decay incidence in commercial CA storages.

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