Abstract:

【Objective】 The effect of acetaldehyde treatment on softening of postharvest ‘Okubo’ peach (Prunus persica L.) was investigated.【Method】 The peaches were fumigated with 0, 0.5, 1 and 2 ml?kg-1 acetaldehyde for 12 hours, then stored at room temperature (20±2)℃or (0±2)℃. The changes of firmness and related enzymes in fruits were detected.【Result】 At 20℃, the activities of PG (polygalacturonase) in 0.5 ml?kg-1 and 2 ml?kg-1 treatments were lower than those in control and 1 ml?kg-1 treatment, and all of the treatments trended to increase PE (pectin esterase) and decrease β-galactosidase activities. At 0℃, the activities of PG and PE in acetaldehyde treatments showed no obvious differences with control, and the β-galactosidase activities in 1 ml?kg-1 and 2 ml?kg-1 treatments were higher than control and 0.5 ml?kg-1 treatment with no significant differences.【Conclusion】The result showed that acetaldehyde treatments at suitable concentration maintained the higher firmnesses, lower respiration rates and decreased the contents of water-soluble pectin both at room temperature (20±2)℃ and (0±2)℃, respectively.

Key words: peach (Prunus persica L.), acetaldehyde, softening, storage