Photocatalytic Oxidation Technology Installed in Controlled Atmosphere Storage and Ethylene Antagonist Treatments Affect Apple Fruit Quality

The impact of ethylene antagonists and photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) technology on the fruit quality, rate of respiration and ethylene production in ‘Cripps Pink’ apples in controlled atmosphere (CA) storage was investigated. The results showed that all the ethylene antagonist treatments significantly reduced the rates of respiration and ethylene production compared to the control group, both with and without PCO. The treatment with 1H-cyclopropa[b]naphthalene (NC) was found to be more effective in reducing the ethylene production, and respiration rate at the climacteric peak, delaying the onset of the climacteric peak and maintaining better fruit quality compared to the treatments with 1H-cyclopropabenzene (BC) and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). The PCO technology in the CA storage helped to slow down the ethylene and respiration rates after 90 d of storage but its effectiveness decreased after 120 days. PCO technology can be adopted to regulate ethylene and respiration rates for durations of up to 90 d in CA storage. The NC proved to be an efficient ethylene antagonist like 1-MCP under CA conditions and possesses scope to be a strong alternative for postharvest ethylene antagonist treatments.