Effects of Preharvest and Postharvest 1-Methylcyclopropene Treatments on Fruit Quality Attributes and Cell Wall Metabolism during Short-term Cold Storage in ‘HetsalHaunkeybee’ Peaches

We evaluated the effects of preharvest 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP; Harvista TM ) or postharvest 1-MCP (SmartFresh TM ) treatments on the physiological and biochemical responses of fruit quality attributes and enzymatic activities of cell wall hydrolases of 'HetsalHaunkeybee' peaches.The fruit were treated with either Harvista TM via spraying 1 week before the harvest (preharvest treatment), or SmartFresh TM via fumigation immediately after the harvest (postharvest treatment).Then, fruits were stored at 10°C for up to 12 days.Flesh firmness of the fruit was significantly enhanced by postharvest treatment with SmartFresh TM , but not by the preharvest treatment with Harvista TM .Neither Harvista TM nor SmartFresh TM altered the soluble solids content, titratable acidity, or the peel color variables during cold storage.However, the SmartFresh TM treatment significantly reduced the enzymatic activities of α-galactosidase, β-galactosidase, β-glucosidase, β-arabinosidase, βxylosidase, and α-mannosidase during cold storage, compared to the untreated fruit and the Harvista TM -treated fruit.Overall, the results suggest that postharvest SmartFresh TM treatment should be an effective method for peach fruit storage, and it enhances fruit quality by reducing the enzymatic activities related to cell wall hydrolysis and softening.