Combined treatment of modified atmosphere packaging and 1-methylcyclopropene improves postharvest quality of Japanese plums

Two Japanese-type plum (Prunus salicina Lindell) cultivars, 'Autumn Giant' and 'Black Beauty', were harvested at commercial maturity stage and either packed in nonperforated modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) or treated with a 500 ppb dose of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) alone or given a combination of 1-MCP and MAP. After these treatments, the plum samples were stored at 0 °C for 60 days. Treatment with either 1-MCP or modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) alone or with the 1-MCP+MAP combination reduced fruit softening, ethylene production, respiration rate, weight loss, and flesh browning, and resulted in higher flesh firmness, titratable acidity, and total soluble solids as compared to the control fruit at the end of the storage period. No decay was observed in either cultivar during the entire storage period. Furthermore, the combined treatment of MAP and 1-MCP had a clear advantage over the other treatments in reducing weight loss, retarding softening, increasing shelf life, and maintaining higher overall fruit quality for both cultivars of Japanese-type plums, especially after storage at 0 °C plus 7 days of storage at 20 °C.