Storage and Quality of Apples ‘Reinette Simirenko’, Depending on the Dose of Post-Harvest Treatment with Ethylene Inhibitor 1-MCP

Natural weight losses, flesh and core browning, senescent breakdown and fruit rot, ethylene-production, firmness, soluble solids content, titratable acidity and taste of apple ‘Reinette Simirenko’ during storage, depending on the dose of postharvest treatment with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) were studied. Fruits were collected in harvesting maturity and treated with 1-MCP at the recommended dose of 1000 ppb (SmartFresh^TM 0.068 g·m⁻³) and experimental doses of 750 ppb (75% of the recommended dose) and 500 ppb (50%). Apples were stored at 2 ± 1 °C and air humidity 85–90%. After seven months of cold storage, irrespective of dose of 1-MCP, on the 20th day of shelf-life, ethylene production from the treated apples was 3.9–5.3 times lower than that of the untreated ones. During the seven months of storage, fruits with post-harvest treatment had high firmness – 8.8–9.0 kg without a significant difference in range of 500–1000 ppb 1-MCP. 1-MCP treatment provides 0.6–1.0% higher content of soluble solids (highest level is for the treatment of 750 and 1000 ppb). Content of titratable acidity was higher by 1.4–1.7 times (the highest acidity was at 1000 ppb and, respectively, 1.1 and 1.2 times lower when treated with doses of 750 and 500 ppb). There was no skin browning and senescent breakdown and no flesh browning at 750 and 1000 ppb, and no fruit rot at 1000 ppb. When smaller doses (as recommended) are applied, a more harmonious taste of apples without reducing storage ability is achieved.