ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of controlled atmosphere storage on quality of native and cultivated yerba mate produced in Arvorezinha (RS) and São Mateus do Sul (PR) after 0, 3, 6 and 12 months of storage under ambient conditions, low oxygen (1.0 kPa) and high carbon dioxide (3.0 kPa) partial pressures. Total chlorophyll concentration reduced over the storage period regardless of the atmosphere condition, form of cultivation and production region. Total carotenoids, regardless of the form and place of cultivation, decreased until three months of storage under 1.0 kPa O2. Although, the O2 reduction to 1.0 kPa maintains greener color and higher chlorophyll concentration after 12 months of storage. High carbon dioxide partial pressures (3.0 kPa) in the storage chamber increases the polyphenol concentration until six months of storage. The raw material originated from São Mateus do Sul (PR) has higher chlorophyll concentration and greener color, resulting in greater storage potential.

ABSTRACT The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of extremely low-oxygen storage on the aerobic, anaerobic metabolism and overall quality maintenance of ‘Royal Gala’ and ‘Galaxy’ apples stored at two temperatures. For ‘Royal Gala’ apples, four treatments were evaluated in a two-factor scheme (2 × 2), with two storage conditions: [1] 1.2 kPa O2 + 2 kPa CO2; [2] 0.8 kPa O2 + 1.6 kPa CO2; and two temperatures (1.0 and 1.5 °C). For ‘Galaxy’ apples, the experiment was conducted in a two-factor (3 × 2) scheme with three storage conditions: [1] 1.2 kPa O2 + 2 kPa CO2; [2] 0.8 kPa O2 + 1.6 kPa CO2; [3] 0.4 kPa O2 + 1.2 kPa CO2, and two temperatures (1.0 and 1.5 °C). The ‘Royal Gala’ apples stored under 0.8 kPa O2 + 1.6 kPa CO2 at 1.5 °C had higher flesh firmness, healthy fruit and soluble solids along with lower incidence of flesh breakdown and mealiness. The ‘Galaxy’ apples stored under 0.4 kPa O2 + 1.2 kPa CO2, at temperature of 1.5 °C had lower 1-carboxylic acid-1-aminocyclopropane (ACC) oxidase enzyme activity, ethylene production, occurrence of mealiness, when compared to 1.0 °C. The storage of these two cultivars at 1.5 °C with extremely low O2 partial pressures is possible. The possibility to increase the storage temperature from 1 °C, which is traditionally used for these mutants, to 1.5 °C allows to keep better quality with the advantage of energy saving.

ABSTRACT The Gala cultivars represent about 65% of the Brazilian apple production, however, it has a short harvest period, making necessary to use technologies that anticipate or delay fruit maturation. A widely used technology is the preharvest application of growth regulators. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of preharvest application of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) combined with aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) and 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid (Ethephon), on the quality of ‘Brookfield’ apple at harvest and after eight months controlledatmosphere (CA)(1.2 kPa O2 and 2.0 kPa CO2) storage followed by seven days of shelf life at 20 °C. The treatments were: [1] Control: application of water only; [2] NAA (40 g.ha-1); [3] NAA (40 g·ha-1) plus Ethephon (2.0 L·ha-1 24% of active ingredient), and [4] NAA (40 g·ha-1) plus AVG (0.83 kg.ha-1 15% of active ingredient). At harvest, fruit treated with NAA presented a higher level of starch degradation, ethylene production and respiration rate. Fruit treated with NAA plus AVG maintained better quality after eight months under CA storage plus seven days of shelf life, due to higher healthy fruit amount and higher flesh firmness, but this combination reduced the red skin color index. Additionally, NAA plus Ethephon may be an alternative to maintain the quality of ‘Brookfield’ apple during storage in comparison to the application of NAA isolated.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of storing ‘Royal Gala’ apple under extremely low oxygen partial pressures on their anaerobic metabolism, ethylene production and fruit quality after 9 months of storage plus 7 days of shelf life at 20 °C. The storage conditions tested were: 1.2 kPa O2 + 2.0 kPa CO2; 0.7 kPa O2 + 1.5 kPa CO2; 0.5 kPa O2 + 1.2 kPa CO2; 0.4 kPa O2 +1.2 kPa CO2 and 0.25 kPa O2 + 0.0 kPa CO2. The fruit storage temperature was 1.0 °C (± 0.1). Fruit stored at 0.4 kPa O2 + 1.2 kPa CO2 maintained higher flesh firmness and a higher percentage of healthy fruit. The fruit stored under the 0.25 kPa O2 + 0.0 kPa CO2 condition had lower flesh firmness as well as a reduced percentage of healthy fruit and a high production of anaerobic metabolism compounds, such as ethanol and ethyl acetate, which may have caused fruit quality loss. The storage of ‘Royal Gala’ apple under 0.4 kPa O2 + 1.2 kPa CO2 is a technique that can be commercially applied to keep a better fruit quality after a 9 months storage period.

RESUMO A podridão parda do pessegueiro, causada pelo fungo Monilinia fructicola, é a principal doença da cultura, causando danos significativos tanto em pré-colheita como pós-colheita. O estudo objetivou avaliar a aplicação pré-colheita de fungicidas, no controle da podridão parda e verificar o papel da infecção latente e contaminação externa na incidência da doença em pós-colheita. Foi conduzido um experimento nos anos de 2014 e 2015 para avaliar o desempenho de seis ingredientes ativos em pré-colheita (captana, iprodiona, iminoctadina, tebuconazol, difenoconazol e azoxistrobina) no controle da podridão parda e o efeito sobre infecções latentes. Um segundo experimento objetivou monitorar a infecção latente durante o crescimento e maturação dos frutos, correlacionando-a com a incidência da doença em pós-colheita. Os dados formam submetidos a análise de variância (Anova) e as médias agrupadas pelo teste de Scott-Knott (p < 0,05) com o software estatístico Sisvar. Os produtos iprodione, tebuconazol e difenoconazol foram os mais eficientes no controle da podridão parda a campo, enquanto o iminoctadine possui maior eficiência em pós-colheita, agindo inclusive sobre as infecções latentes. A incidência de infecções latentes tanto na fase de crescimento quanto maturação tem correlação positiva com a podridão parda em pós-colheita. A maior incidência da doença após o armazenamento foi em decorrência da manifestação de infecções latentes. O eficiente controle químico no campo, durante toda a fase de crescimento e maturação dos frutos é uma importante estratégia para o controle pós-colheita, inclusive após o armazenamento refrigerado e durante a vida de prateleira sob 20 oC.

ABSTRACT The peach brown rot, caused by Monilinia fructicola, is the main disease of the crop, causing significant losses during preharvest and postharvest. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of preharvest fungicide application on brown rot control and verify the role of latent infection and external contamination in postharvest disease. An experiment was carried out in the years 2014 and 2015 in order to evaluate the performance of six active ingredients (captan, iprodione, iminoctadine, tebuconazole, difenoconazole and azoxystrobin) during preharvest on brown rot control and the effect on latent infection. A second experiment was carried out to monitor the latent infection during growth and ripening of the fruit and in order to correlate it with the postharvest disease incidence. The data were submitted to analysis of variance (Anova) and the means were grouped by the Scott-Knott test (p < 0.05), using statistical software Sisvar. The active ingredients iprodione, tebuconazole and difenoconazole were the most efficient in controlling brown rot on the field, while iminoctadine has higher efficiency during postharvest control, acting on latent infections. The incidence of latent infections during fruit growth and ripening has a positive correlation with brown rot incidence at postharvest. The highest disease incidence after storage is due to the latent infections manifestation. Effective chemical control in the field, throughout the growing and ripening of fruit, is an important approach to postharvest brown rot control, even after cold storage and during shelf life at 20 °C.

RESUMO O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da aplicação de etanol e duas doses de óxido nítrico na manutenção da qualidade de maçãs ‘Galaxy’ durante o armazenamento em atmosfera controlada (AC). Tratamentos utilizados: [1] 1,2 kPa O2 + 2,0 kPa CO2; [2] AC + aplicação de 20 µL L-1 de óxido nítrico; [3] AC + aplicação de 40 µL L-1 de óxido nítrico; [4] AC + aplicação de 1 mL de etanol kg-1 de fruto. Os frutos foram mantidos em AC durante oito meses e sete dias a 20º C. Frutos tratados com etanol apresentaram maior produção de etileno, menor firmeza, elevada degenerescência, polpa farinácea e produção de acetaldeído. Já, os frutos tratados com 40 µL L-1 de óxido nítrico, apresentaram menor produção de etileno, taxa respiratória e atividade da enzima ACC (1-aminociclopropano-1-carboxílico) oxidase. Maçãs tradadas com 20 µL L-1 de óxido nítrico apresentaram aumento na produção de etileno e respiração, etileno e CO2 interno, e produzem mais etanol. A aplicação de etanol e óxido nítrico, não apresentam benefícios na manutenção da qualidade dos frutos após o armazenamento em AC devido a menor firmeza de polpa, maior ocorrência de polpa farinácea, degenerescência de polpa e incidência de podridões nos frutos.

ABSTRACT The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of ethanol and two nitric oxide dose applications on the maintenance of the post-storage quality of ‘Galaxy’ apple during storage under controlled atmosphere (CA). Treatments evaluated were: [1] 1.2 kPa O2 + 2.0 kPa CO2; [2] CA + 20 µL L-1 of nitric oxide, [3] CA + 40 µL L-1 of nitric oxide; [4] CA + 1 ml of ethanol kg-1 fruit. Fruits received treatments before storage and were kept under CA during eight months and seven days of storage at 20 °C. Fruits had been kept on CA for eight months and seven days at 20° C. Fruits treated with ethanol showed higher ethylene production, low flesh firmness, high flesh breakdown, mealiness and acetaldehyde production. Fruits treated with 40 µL L-1 nitric oxide showed lower ethylene production, respiration rate and ACC oxidase ( (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid) oxidase enzyme activity. Apples treated with 20 uL L-1 nitric oxide showed higher ethylene production, respiration rate, internal ethylene concentration CO2 and ethanol concentration. Ethanol and nitric oxide application before storage have no benefits in maintaining fruit quality after storage under CA due to lower flesh firmness, higher mealiness incidence, flesh breakdown and decay incidence.

ABSTRACT Yerba mate shows social and economic importance for the Southern Latin American countries due to its easy production and large market range. However, there is a problem to harvest the yerba mate at the correct period and to store it until processing and marketing. Thus, the aim of this paper was to evaluate the interaction among the storage in controlled atmosphere, effect of cultivation form and shelf life period on yerba mate quality after long-term controlled atmosphere storage. The experiment was conducted in a factorial arrangement (3 controlled atmosphere conditions × 2 cultivation forms × 4 weeks of shelf life). Native yerba mate, stored under controlled atmosphere, showed higher chlorophyll concentration as compared to the cultivated one. Carotenoid concentration increased up to the third week of shelf life and thereafter remained constant, if the yerba mate was stored under ambient conditions. Oxygen partial pressure lowering allows long-term yerba mate storage, keeping its quality during four shelf life weeks at 20 °C. Controlled atmosphere is an efficient technique for yerba mate quality keeping during long-term storage and shelf life, allowing the harvest of the raw material at the correct period and the maintenance of its quality until processing and marketing. The cultivation form has a significant effect on the storage and shelf life potential of yerba mate stored under controlled atmosphere.

Growth regulators are used in the production of apples worldwide, especially to extend the harvest period and maintain postharvest quality. This study aimed to investigate the effects of applying aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) in isolation as well as in combination with other growth regulators and postharvest techniques on the harvest quality and storage potential of ‘Brookfield’ apples (Malus domestica), a ‘Gala’ strain. Fruit receiving AVG only had the highest starch content and the highest titratable acidity at harvest. After 8 months of storage, the AVG + 1-MCP (1-methylcyclopropene) and AVG + ABS (ethylene absorption) conserved higher flesh firmness than to all the other treatments. Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) application induced ACC oxidase enzyme activity at harvest, but not after storage. AVG application, with or without the aid of another technique, did not decrease the red skin color of ‘Brookfield’ apples. Low mealiness and a high healthy fruit percentage was obtained when the fruits were submitted to pre-harvest AVG application combined with NAA, 1-MCP and ABS. Internal carbon dioxide had an inverse correlation with the quantity of healthy fruit and was directly correlated with mealiness.