Impact Of Ethanol On The Peach Postharvest Physiology, Storage Quality

The major cultivars of peach fruit in Beijing, such as the middle-mature Cv. "dajiubao" and the late-mature Cv. "lvhua9" were applied to investigate Respiratory. Ethylene production. Firmness. Color. Total soluble solid(TSS). Titratable acid. Vc. Cell ion leakage. Lipoxygenase (LOX). Malondialdehyde (MDA). Peroxidase (POD) and Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity .These peach fruit were treated with different ethanol concentration(1ml/kg.2ml/kg.4ml/kg) and storage at 10 ± 2℃ and 2 ± 2℃ .The result showed as following:Ethanol application could apparently decreased respiratory rate, ethylene production, resisted the appearance of peak. Delay senescence and ripe of peach fruit. Ethanol application slowed the decrease of firmness and the contents of total soluble solid. The decrease of contents of titratable acid and Vc in peaches treated by ethanol was delayed during storage. Improved flavor, color and sense quality. Cell ion leakage, accumulation of malondeldehycle (MDA) and the activity of LOX were decreased. At the same time, POD was increased, improved the membrane fluidity, and decreased the incidence of chilling injury prolonged storage period. Ethanol application had resisted the activity PPO, reduced the incidence of fruit decay and brown.The results suggested the applied ethanol concentration was the major factor to peach fruits. High ethanol concentration treatment had apparent reaction .The 4ml/kg was better than 2ml/kg. The interaction between elhanol treatment and low temperature (2±2℃) had marked effect.