Effect of Storage Temperature on Quality of Loquat Fruits from Different Cultivars

The effects of different storage temperatures (0 ℃ and 25 ℃) on the contents of total soluble solids, total titratable acids, juice productivity, relative conductivity, total phenols and lignin in Dahongpao and Ninghaibai loquat fruits were investigated. Results indicated that the quality of loquat fruits was deteriorated due to the decrease in the contents of total soluble solids, total titratable acids and juice productivity during storage. Low temperature storage (0 ℃) could maintain relatively higher levels of total soluble solids and total titratable acids, but accelerate the reduction of total phenols and result in flesh lignification. The content of lignin exhibited an obvious increase in the fruits during storage at 25 ℃. These results suggested that flesh lignification was a senescence phenomenon in postharvest loquat fruits, and inappropriate chilling storage will promote the incidence of flesh lignification.