Abstract

ROSAS-FLORES, Nallely et al. Postharvest ripening of Hass and Mendez avocado fruits treated with ethephon. Acta Agron. [online]. 2020, vol.69, n.4, pp.275-284.  Epub Oct 15, 2021. ISSN 0120-2812.  https://doi.org/10.15446/acag.v69n4.89994.

A common problem in avocado (Persea americana Mill.) postharvest is the heterogeneity in the ripening of the fruits, due to differences in the time of fruit set and the inability to ripen on the tree, a situation that causes inconsistencies in the quality and differences in the response to preservation and processing technologies. In postharvest, the application of ethylene gas in hermetic chambers has been used to fasten ripening; However, the use of ethylene releasers in liquid form (ethephon) has been proposed as an alternative, mainly for the treatment of low volumes of fruit. The present work was carried out in the producing area of Salvador Escalante (Michoacán, Mexico) with the objective of evaluating the effect of the application of two concentrations of ethephon over time and homogenization of the ripening of fruits of avocado cultivars (cv.) Hass and Mendez. Fruits were harvested with 23.4% (cv. Hass) and 24% (cv. Méndez) of dry matter; one group was immersed in a 500 mg / l ethephon solution and another, in 1000 mg / l, both for 5 minutes; the treated fruits, plus a control, were stored at 20 ° C for 11 days. Changes in respiration, ethylene production, weight loss, firmness, epicarp and pulp colour, the concentration of total phenols, chlorophyll and total carotenoids were evaluated. The results showed that ethephon doses of 1000 mg/l in cv. Hass and 500 mg/l in cv. Méndez presented a maturation process 2 days earlier than the control.

Keywords : 2-chloroethyl phosphonic acid; colour index; ethylene; Persea americana Mill; quality.

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