Browsing by Author "Terry, Leon A"
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Item Open Access 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) effects on natural disease resistance in stored sweetpotato(Wiley, 2018-03-06) Amoah, Robert S.; Terry, Leon ABACKGROUND The potential of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) to maintain postharvest storage of sweetpotato was studied. In two separate experiments, the orange-fleshed sweetpotato cv. Covington was fumigated with 1-MCP (1.0 μL L-1, 24 h) and roots stored at 15 oC. During storage, samples were evaluated for the respiration rate, sprout growth, weight loss, incidence of decay and changes in dry matter. The roots were further assayed for the temporal changes in individual non-structural carbohydrates and phenolic compounds in the skin and flesh tissues of the proximal (stem end), middle, and distal (root end) regions. RESULTS 1-MCP treatment reduced root weight loss and decay but respiration rate and non-structural carbohydrates were not affected. No sprouting was recorded irrespective of the treatment. 1-MCP transiently suppressed the accumulation of individual phenolic compounds, especially in the middle and distal segments. This accentuated the proximal dominance of phenolic compounds. Isochlorogenic acid A and chlorogenic acid were the dominant phenolics in the skin and flesh tissues, respectively. CONCLUSION 1-MCP treatment may have anti-decay effect and reduce weight loss. Therefore, storage trials which involve the use of continuous ethylene supplementation to inhibit sprout growth may be combined with 1-MCP to alleviate ethylene-induced weight loss and decay in sweetpotato.Item Open Access 1-Methylcyclopropene maintains postharvest quality in Norwegian apple fruit(Sage, 2019-12-26) Falagán Sama, Natalia; Terry, Leon ANorwegian fruit production is mostly destined for the local market and can suffer from poor-quality retention during storage. 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) is an inhibitor of ethylene perception used to maintain the physical and functional quality of pome fruit. Extensive work has been carried out on the effect of 1-MCP on apples, but not on cultivars grown in Norway. In this work, the potential of 1-MCP application (0.625 ml l −1 for 24 h at 0 ± 1℃) for ripening control of the apple cultivars ‘Aroma’, ‘Red Gravenstein’, and ‘Summered’ was studied during 1 and 1.5 months of cold storage; both scenarios were followed by five days of shelf life. The application of 1-MCP reduced softening by an average of 12% in ‘Aroma’, ‘Red Gravenstein’, and ‘Summered’ apples when cold stored for both 1 and 1.5 months as compared to control. External colour remained similar to initial values in 1-MCP fruit when compared to control apples, which presented a significant skin darkening. This indicated a delay in the ripening process. 1-MCP treatment did not affect total soluble solids content. ‘Aroma’ samples treated with 1-MCP showed a low sucrose hydrolysis, indicating a slower ripening process. This work confirms that 1-MCP postharvest treatment shows great potential for maintenance of apple cvs. in Norway during cold storage and shelf life.Item Open Access Biochemical profile of heritage and modern apple cultivars and application of machine learning methods to predict usage, age, and harvest season(American Chemical Society, 2017-06-02) Anastasiadi, Maria; Mohareb, Fady R.; Redfern, Sally P.; Berry, Mark; Simmonds, Monique; Terry, Leon AThe present study represents the first major attempt to characterise the biochemical profile in different tissues of a large selection of apple cultivars sourced from the UK’s National Fruit Collection comprising dessert, ornamental, cider and culinary apples. Furthermore, advanced Machine Learning methods were applied with the objective to identify whether the phenolic and sugar composition of an apple cultivar could be used as a biomarker fingerprint to differentiate between heritage and mainstream commercial cultivars as well as govern the separation among primary usage groups and harvest season. Prediction accuracy > 90% was achieved with Random Forest for all three models. The results highlighted the extraordinary phytochemical potency and unique profile of some heritage, cider and ornamental apple cultivars, especially in comparison to more mainstream apple cultivars. Therefore, these findings could guide future cultivar selection on the basis of health-promoting phytochemical content.Item Open Access Characterization of industrial onion wastes (Allium cepa L.): dietary fibre and bioactive compounds.(2011-03-31T00:00:00Z) Benítez, Vanesa; Mollá, Esperanza; Martín-Cabrejas, María A.; Aguilera, Yolanda; López-Andréu, Francisco J.; Cools, Katherine; Terry, Leon A; Esteban, Rosa M.The food industry produces a large amount of onion wastes, making it necessary to search for possible ways for their utilization. One way could be to use these onion wastes as a natural source of high-value functional ingredients, since onion are rich in several groups of compounds, which have perceived benefits to human health. The objective of this work is to gain knowledge of any differences between the different onion wastes obtained from industry and non-commercial bulbs to use them as food ingredients rich in specific compounds. The results showed that brown skin and top-bottom could be potentially used as functional ingredient rich in dietary fibre, mainly in insoluble fraction, and in total phenolics and flavonoids, with high antioxidant activity. Moreover, brown skin showed a high concentration of quercetin aglycone and calcium, and top-bottom showed high concentration of minerals. Outer scales could be used as source of flavonols, with good antioxidant activity and content of dietary fibre. However, inner scales could be an interesting source of fructans and alk(en)yl cystein sulphoxides. In addition, discarded onions (cvs Recas and Figueres) could be used as a good source of dietary fibre, and cv Recas also as a source of phenolics compounds.Item Open Access Combining conventional QTL analysis and whole-exome capture-based bulk-segregant analysis provides new genetic insights into tuber sprout elongation and dormancy release in a diploid potato population(Nature Publishing Group, 2021-07-30) Sharma, Sanjeev Kumar; McLean, Karen; Colgan, Richard J.; Rees, Debbie; Young, Stephen; Sønderkær, Mads; Terry, Leon A; Turnbull, Colin; Taylor, Mark A.; Bryan, Glenn J.Tuber dormancy and sprouting are commercially important potato traits as long-term tuber storage is necessary to ensure year-round availability. Premature dormancy release and sprout growth in tubers during storage can result in a significant deterioration in product quality. In addition, the main chemical sprout suppressant chlorpropham has been withdrawn in Europe, necessitating alternative approaches for controlling sprouting. Breeding potato cultivars with longer dormancy and slower sprout growth is a desirable goal, although this must be tempered by the needs of the seed potato industry, where dormancy break and sprout vigour are required for rapid emergence. We have performed a detailed genetic analysis of tuber sprout growth using a diploid potato population derived from two highly heterozygous parents. A dual approach employing conventional QTL analysis allied to a combined bulk-segregant analysis (BSA) using a novel potato whole-exome capture (WEC) platform was evaluated. Tubers were assessed for sprout growth in storage at six time-points over two consecutive growing seasons. Genetic analysis revealed the presence of main QTL on five chromosomes, several of which were consistent across two growing seasons. In addition, phenotypic bulks displaying extreme sprout growth phenotypes were subjected to WEC sequencing for performing BSA. The combined BSA and WEC approach corroborated QTL locations and served to narrow the associated genomic regions, while also identifying new QTL for further investigation. Overall, our findings reveal a very complex genetic architecture for tuber sprouting and sprout growth, which has implications both for potato and other root, bulb and tuber crops where long-term storage is essential.Item Open Access A comprehensive study of factors affecting postharvest disorder development in celery(Elsevier, 2020-11-05) Anastasiadi, Maria; Falagán, Natalia; Rossi, Simone; Terry, Leon AFresh-cut celery is an economically important crop, susceptible to postharvest disorders such as browning at cut ends, which can compromise quality and affect freshness perception. The study herein represents the most comprehensive attempt to date to determine the factors that mediate celery postharvest disorders and uncover the physiological and biochemical mechanisms involved. Three main experiments were conducted over two years, covering the early and late Spanish season and the late UK season. The aim of the experiments was to study: a) the effect of seasonal variation and horticultural maturity on shelf-life (20 °C) of fresh-cut celery; b) the effect of postharvest application of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) and continuous ethylene supplementation on browning and pithiness development during cold storage (5 °C); and c) the effect of preharvest deficit irrigation on the quality of fresh-cut celery during shelf-life (20 °C). Lesser horticultural maturity increased browning and pithiness with browning severity being positively correlated with chlorogenic acid concentrations in celery cut-ends. Ethylene supplementation accelerated the metabolic activity of celery, leading to early senescence. We found that 1-MCP suppressed respiration rate and delayed browning. Deficit irrigation promoted browning, which coincided with a rapid increase in abscisic acid and its main catabolite phaseic acid during storage. Mild deficit irrigation promoted the increase of chlorogenic acid after 6 d of storage, while severe deficit irrigation did not show this increase. These findings will help growers and retailers standardise industry practices ensuring uniform quality and better shelf-life estimations.Item Open Access Continuous exposure to ethylene differentially affects senescence in receptacle and achene tissues in strawberry fruit(Frontiers, 2020-03-12) Tosetti, Roberta; Elmi, Fardusa; Pradas, Inmaculada; Cools, Katherine; Terry, Leon AStrawberry shelf life is limited, and little is known about the postharvest regulation of senescence in different fruit tissues. Strawberry is classified as a non-climacteric fruit, yet it is known that ethylene affects strawberry ripening. Here the effects of continuous exogenous ethylene (50 µl l−1) were investigated in cold stored strawberry (5°C). The physiological and biochemical responses of ripe strawberry were evaluated across 6 days, together with hormonal profiles of the whole fruit and individual tissues (achenes and receptacle). Continuous exposure to ethylene induced as a first response an accumulation of abscisic acid (ABA) in the receptacle tissue, followed by an increase in CO2 production. Ethylene also elicited sucrose hydrolysis and malic acid catabolism, with the major effect seen after 4 days of ethylene exposure. Additionally, accumulation of phenolics (epicatechin and chlorogenic acid) were also observed in ethylene treated strawberry. Achenes did not exhibit a response to ethylene, yet catabolism of both ABA and auxins increased by two thirds during air storage. In contrast, ethylene induced ABA accumulation in the receptacle tissue without ABA catabolism being affected. This hormonal disequilibrium in response to ethylene between the two tissues was maintained during storage, and therefore might be the precursor for the following biochemical variations reported during storageItem Open Access Dataset for Controlled atmosphere as cold chain support for extending postharvest life in cabbage(Cranfield University, 2024-09-04) Gage, Ewan; Falagán, Natalia; Terry, Leon AItem Open Access Design and construction of a flexible laboratory-scale mixing apparatus for continuous ethylene supplementation of fresh produce(Elsevier, 2017-03-17) Amoah, Robert S.; Landahl, Sandra; Terry, Leon AThe design and construction of a laboratory-scale apparatus for generating variable concentrations and flow rates of exogenous ethylene for fresh produce supplementation during storage trials is described. A stock of compressed ethylene in nitrogen (5000 μl l−1) was blended into a continuous flow stream of air and diluted to the desired concentrations. The ethylene and air flow rates were controlled with calibrated mass flow control valves. An empirical mathematical model was derived for real-time variation of both the mixed concentration and flow rate during continuous flow. Validation of the model was performed using fresh sweet potato as a case study where a steady continuous ethylene concentration of 10 μl l−1 was achieved for three months. The bespoke system offers easy-to-manage ethylene supplementation for research.Item Open Access Detection of internal defects in onion bulbs by means of single-point and scanning laser Doppler vibrometry(Elsevier, 2022-08-05) Landahl, Sandra; Terry, Leon AThe number of onion consignments which are rejected or downgraded due to the incidence of internal defects is a continuing problem for wholesalers and growers. Defects may only be up to 4% incidence level, but result in the entire lot being lost for sale. Destructive quality control testing causes waste, so that there is a need for alternative non-invasive assessment. The aim of the current research was to demonstrate whether internal defects could be detected using Laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV). Several trials, with different types of sensors and levels of onion defect severity were conducted. Both scanning and single-point LDV were employed in order to develop a suitable measurement method to evaluate onion defects. It was necessary to measure resonant frequency at the neck or equator of the bulbs in order to segregate neck rot (Botrytis allii) or bacterial rot, respectively, but LDV could not differentiate sprouting and double hearted bulbs from sound onions. In conclusion, it was possible to non-destructively identify onion bulbs with only a 5% area affected with neck rot (visible after cutting). It would be necessary to calibrate for different onion cultivars and origins, if the technique is to be implemented on a commercial sorting line.Item Open Access Development of a disposable pyruvate biosensor to determine pungency in onions (Allium cepa L.)(Elsevier, 2006-05-15) Abayomi, Louise Anike; Terry, Leon A; White, S. F.; Warner, P. J.A disposable prototype pyruvate biosensor was constructed using pyruvate oxidase immobilised on mediated meldolas blue electrodes to determine pungency in onions (Allium cepa L.). The optimum operating potential was +150 mV (versus Ag/AgCl). A strong correlation between the biosensor response and untreated onion juice of known pyruvate concentration 2–12 μmol/g fresh weight (FW) was demonstrated. The biosensor was able to differentiate between low and high pungency onions. The detection limit using 1 unit of pyruvate oxidase was 1–2 μmol/g FW. Optimum concentrations of co-factors TPP, FAD and MgSO4 comprising the enzyme cocktail were determined as being 0.04, 0.1 and 30 mM, respectively.Item Open Access Effect of deficit irrigation and methyl jasmonate application on the composition of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) fruit and leaves(Elsevier, 2015-12-31) Giné-Bordonaba, Jordi; Terry, Leon ADrought stress is among the most severe environmental risks threatening strawberry production. In the present study, the effect of deficit irrigation (DI; 50 mL/day) and/or elicitation with methyl jasmonate (MeJA; 0.1 mM) on the composition of secondary fruit and leaves from three strawberry pre-commercial cultivars (253/29, 279/4 and 279/5) was investigated and compared to plants kept at or near field capacity (200 mL/day). For certain cultivars (253/29), DI applied at green stage of fruit development resulted in a considerable reduction in berry size (1.7-fold). In other cultivars (279/4 and 279/5), fruit size was comparable in DI-treated and fully irrigated plants. Changes in the major sugars and organic acids of strawberry leaves and fruit were cultivar and organ dependent and were associated to an osmotic adjustment strategy within the plant to counteract the effects of drought. Overall, elicitation with MeJA had a minimal effect on plant growth and morphological traits. Nevertheless, MeJA increased fructose content of DI-treated leaves and palliated the differences in glucose content of fruit from different water treatments. The most pronounced effect of MeJA was related to an enchance synthesis and accumulation of pelargonidin-3-glucoside (nearly 2-fold) in red-ripe fruit from cultivar 279/5.Item Open Access Effect of ethylene on postharvest strawberry fruit tissue biochemistry(International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS), 2017-04-20) Elmi, F.; Pradas, I.; Tosetti, R.; Cools, K.; Terry, Leon AThe effect of continuous ethylene supplementation (50 µL L-1) on cold-stored strawberry fruit physiology and biochemistry, including phytohormone (abscisic acid) metabolism was investigated. In comparison with control fruit which exhibited high sucrose and malic acid contents during storage, ethylene-treated fruits showed increased respiration, sucrose hydrolysis and concomitant reducing sugars accumulation. Ethylene supplementation did not have any effect on phenolic profile. ABA biosynthesis, in both flesh and achenes, was promoted by ethylene. The results herein suggest that controlling ethylene after harvest could suppress senescence and extend shelf-life.Item Open Access Effect of methyl jasmonate and sucrose on endogenous non-structural carbohydrates in petals and leaves of cut ‘First Red’ roses (Rosa hybrida L.)(Islamic Azad University, 2017-06-01) Terry, Leon A; Foukaraki, Sofia G.; Cook, Balwinder; Papadimitriou, Michael D.Effects of exogenously applied methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and sucrose on vase life and non-structural carbohydrate concentration in petals and leaves of cut ‘First Red’ roses were investigated. Roses were placed in sealed plastic containers and received MeJA vapour treatment (0.1 μL MeJA L-1) for 24 h at 20°C. Flowers were then placed in individual bottles containing 0 or 2% (v/v) sucrose solution. Flower petals and the two uppermost five-leaflet leaves were detached on days 0, d 5 and d 10 of vase life. Samples were individually snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen and freeze-dried. Non-structural carbohydrates were extracted and quantified using standard HPLC coupled to evaporative light scattering detection. The MeJA vapour treatment enhanced vase life of flower and foliage of ‘First Red’ roses. Significant differences were observed between foliage life of cut ‘First Red’ roses that were treated with MeJA and sucrose, but not for flower life. Rose stems treated with MeJA in the absence of sucrose had an extended vase life compared to roses treated with 2% sucrose alone (14.0 vs. 12.8 days of vase life). Sucrose and myo-inositol, and to a lesser extent glucose concentrations in petals of cut roses decreased during vase life, even when flowers were supplied with 2% sucrose. Concomitant to this, fructose levels in petals increased during vase life. Neither sucrose nor MeJA had a significant effect on any of the sugars measured in petals of cut roses. In contrast, significant differences were apparent for all sugars measured in leaves that were treated with MeJA and sucrose solutions. The combination of MeJA and 2% sucrose solution sharply increased endogenous sucrose concentration in leaves, but the opposite was shown in the absence of 2% sucrose. Sucrose treatment alone did not consistently alter endogenous sucrose concentration. Interactions between MeJA and sucrose on sugar metabolism are discussed.Item Open Access The effect of processing on the glucosinolate profile of mustard seed(Elsevier, 2018-01-16) Cools, Katherine; Terry, Leon ABrassica juncea mustard seed are used to make mustard paste or condiment. Mustard seed contains glucosinolates which are converted to isothiocyanates following cell disruption by the enzyme, myrosinase. Isothiocyanates are sulphur-containing compounds which give a pungent flavour to the mustard condiment. Three mustard seed cultivars from two seasons were processed into Dijon- and wholegrain-style mustard and glucosinolates and isothiocyanates analysed. Canadian cv. Centennial tended to contain higher glucosinolates compared with the French cv. AZ147 and Ukrainian cv. Chorniava. Conversion of the mustard seed into a wholegrain condiment had a lesser effect on total isothiocyanates and sinigrin content compared with the Dijon-style preparation. The Canadian mustard cultivars produced wholegrain-style mustard with higher total isothyocyantes and sinigrin compared with the French and Ukrainian cultivars. In summary, results herein suggest that Canadian mustard seed cvs. Centennial and Forge, and wholegrain processing may result in a condiment with greater bioactive composition.Item Open Access Effect of selenium enrichment on metabolism of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit during post‐harvest ripening(Wiley, 2018-10-27) Puccinelli, Martina; Malorgio, Fernando; Terry, Leon A; Tosetti, Roberta; Rosellini, Irene; Pezzarossa, BeatriceBACKGROUND Selenium (Se) enrichment of plants seems effective in enhancing the health‐related properties of produce, and in delaying plant senescence and fruit ripening. The current study investigated the effects of Se on tomato fruit ripening. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants were grown in hydroponics with different Se‐enriched nutrient solutions. Se, as sodium selenate, was added at rate of 0 mg L‐1 (control), 1 mg L‐1, and 1.5 mg L‐1. RESULTS Selenium was absorbed by roots and translocated to leaves and fruit. Se enrichment did not significantly affect the qualitative parameters of fruit at commercial harvest, instead it delayed ripening by affecting specific ripening‐related processes (respiration, ethylene production, color evolution) during postharvest. In the current experiment 100 g of tomato hydroponically grown with a 1.5 mg Se L‐1 enriched solution provided a total of 23.7 μg Se. Selenium recommended daily intake is 60 μg for women and 70 μg for men, thus the daily consumption of 100 g of enriched tomato would not lead to Se toxicity, but would provide a good Se diet supplementation. CONCLUSIONS The cultivation of tomato plants in a Se‐enriched solution appeared effective in producing tomato fruit with improved performances during storage and postharvest shelf life, and also with greater potential health‐promoting properties.Item Open Access Effect of UV-C on the physiology and biochemical profile of fresh Piper nigrum berries(Elsevier, 2017-11-10) Collings, Emma R.; Gavidia, M. Carmen Alamar; Cools, Katherine; Redfern, Sally P.; Terry, Leon AApplication of UV-C has been shown to enhance the biochemical profile of various plant materials. This could be used to increase biochemical load, reducing the amount of material required but still impart equivalent flavour. As spices, such as black pepper (Piper nigrum L.), are typically dried to low moisture content to create a stable product for transportation and storage, little work has explored the use of modern postharvest treatments to enhance flavour. In this work, fresh P. nigrum berries were exposed to four UV-C doses (0, 1, 5 and 15 kJ m−2) and subsequently stored at 5 °C for ca. 4 weeks. Two separate experiments (early and late season) were conducted across one season. Replicate P. nigrum berry clusters were stored separately within continuously ventilated 13 L boxes. Real-time respiration rate (ex situ), ethylene production, fruit colour and water potential were measured at regular intervals during storage. In addition, piperine and essential oils were assessed using a simple newly developed method which enabled both compound groups to be simultaneously extracted and subsequently quantified. UV-C was found to cause significant changes in colour (from green to brown) whilst also altering the biochemical composition (piperine and essential oils), which was influenced by UV-C dose and berry maturity. Low to medium UV-C doses could potentially enhance flavour compounds in black pepper enabling processors to create products with higher biochemical load.Item Open Access Ethylene and 1-methylcyclopropene differentially regulate gene expression during onion sprout suppression.(American Society of Plant Biologists, 2011-07-31T00:00:00Z) Cools, Katherine; Chope, Gemma Amy; Hammond, John P.; Thompson, Andrew J.; Terry, Leon AOnion (Allium cepa) is regarded as a nonclimacteric vegetable. In onions, however, ethylene can suppress sprouting while the ethylene-binding inhibitor 1- methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) can also suppress sprout growth; yet, it is unknown how ethylene and 1-MCP elicit the same response. In this study, onions were treated with 10 μL L(-1) ethylene or 1 μL L(-1) 1-MCP individually or in combination for 24 h at 20°C before or after curing (6 weeks) at 20°C or 28°C and then stored at 1°C. Following curing, a subset of these same onions was stored separately under continuous air or ethylene (10 μL L(-1)) at 1°C. Onions treated with ethylene and 1-MCP in combination after curing for 24 h had reduced sprout growth as compared with the control 25 weeks after harvest. Sprout growth following storage beyond 25 weeks was only reduced through continuous ethylene treatment. This observation was supported by a higher proportion of down- regulated genes characterized as being involved in photosynthesis, measured using a newly developed onion microarray. Physiological and biochemical data suggested that ethylene was being perceived in the presence of 1-MCP, since sprout growth was reduced in onions treated with 1-MCP and ethylene applied in combination but not when applied individually. A cluster of probes representing transcripts up-regulated by 1-MCP alone but down-regulated by ethylene alone or in the presence of 1-MCP support this suggestion. Ethylene and 1-MCP both down- regulated a probe tentatively annotated as an ethylene receptor as well as ethylene-insensitive 3, suggesting that both treatments down-regulate the perception and signaling events of eItem Open Access Graduated controlled atmosphere: a novel approach to increase "Duke" blueberry storage life(Frontiers, 2020-03-17) Falagán, Natalia; Miclo, Tiana; Terry, Leon ABlueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) are highly valued for their health-promoting potential, yet they are extremely perishable. Controlled atmosphere (CA) strategies reduce blueberry respiratory metabolism, slowing down senescence. However, the sudden change of atmosphere could elicit a physical abiotic stress in the fruit, negatively affecting quality. We propose an innovative approach based on controlled graduation to slowly reach optimum gas storage conditions as an alternative to standard CA. For two consecutive seasons, “Duke” blueberries were subjected to four different storage conditions: control (air); standard CA (sudden exposure to 5 kPa O2 and 10 kPa CO2 across the experiment); GCA3 and GCA7 (gradually reaching 5 kPa O2 and 10 kPa CO2 in 3 and 7 days, respectively). Fruit were stored for 28 days at 0 ± 0.5°C. Real-time respirometry provided an in-depth insight to the respiratory response of blueberries to their gas environment. Blueberries subjected to the graduated application of CA (GCA) treatments had a lower steady-state respiration rate compared to control and standard CA fruit. This indicated a reduction in metabolic activity that positively impacted quality and storage life extension. For example, GCA3 and GCA7 blueberries had a 25% longer storage life when compared to control, based on reduced decay incidence. In addition, GCA fruit were 27% firmer than control and CA fruit after 28 days of cold storage. GCA3 had a positive effect on maintaining individual sugars concentrations throughout the experiment, and both GCA treatments maintained ascorbic acid content close to initial values compared to a decrease of 44% in the control fruit at the end of the experiment. This work provides a paradigm shift in how CA could be applied and a better understanding of blueberry physiology and postharvest behavior.Item Open Access Influence of 1-Methylcyclopropene on the biochemical response and ripening of ‘solo' papayas(Sociedade Brasileira de Fruticultura, 2016-06-20) Ohashi, Thaís Luri; Foukaraki, Sofia; Souza Corrêa, Daniel; Ferreira, Marcos David; Terry, Leon AThe market demand for tropical fruits has been growing steadily over the past two decades and global papaya production has grown significantly over the last few years. This sector, however, suffers greatly from postharvest losses due to reduced quantity and quality of fruits between harvest and consumption. The use of ethylene inhibitors after harvest could improve the final quality of the fruit to satisfy the consumer and also minimize waste. The physiological and biochemical responses of ‘Solo’ papayas treated with the ethylene inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) to extend storage shelf life and maintain quality during long-term storage are deeply discussed in this study. Papaya fruits arrived at Cranfield University (CU) and received a 24 h 1-MCP, being stored at 20 ºC for 10 days. The ethylene inhibitor 1-MCP application significantly delayed ‘Solo’ papaya ripeness on fruit storage by reducing respiration rate and ethylene production. There was a delay from 7 days in fruit firmness loss and the retention of green peel colour was increased. Inhibition of ethylene perception by 1-MCP did not prevent the accumulation of sugars and the mean values were similar and higher than those found for control fruits, which are possibly due to the lower reaction speed, leading to a higher accumulation.