Study On The Application Of Programmed Chilling In The Storage Of Loquat Fruit (Eriobotrya Japonica Lindl)

This paper reviewed the technological development of the storages of fruit and vegetables, especially the loquat fruit, and summarized the research results in experiments on the application of programmed chilling in combination of plastic film packaging on the storage of loquat fruit (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl, Var. Da Hong-pao). Experiments were conducted on the comparison between programmed chilling and one-step chilling on their effects on the fruit quality and chilling injury of loquat fruit, the optimization of programmed chilling, and the effects of fruit maturity and package on the effectiveness of programmed chilling. The major findings were as follows:1. Under chilling programⅠ(8～13℃for the first 1～5d of cold storage, 6～10℃for 6～10d, 3～5℃after the 11 th day until the end of storage) in combination with plastic package, the hardening of loquat fruit tissue occurred after the 28th day, and tissue partially collapsed after 21st day. These meant the tissue hardening and destruction was delayed for 14d and 7d in comparison of fruit under direct chilling. The programmed chilling could also alleviate the pericarp adhesion and fruit tissue browning, symptoms of fruit chilling injury.2. After 59d of storage under chilling programⅠin combination with plastic package, the combined dehydration and decay loss, TSS loss, total acids loss, VC loss and TSS to total acid ratio in the fruit were 4.1%,11.4%,22.2%,13.3% and 72.1 respectively. Whereas that in fruit under chilling programⅡ(10～15℃for the first 1～5d of cold storage, 8～10℃for 6～10d, 5～8℃after the 11th day until the end of storage) were 5.6%,18.4%,33.3%,21.6% and 77.5. These results indicated that chilling programⅠis better in preserving the fruit quality than chilling programⅡ.3. After 59d of storage under the chilling programⅠin combination of plastic package, 95.9% of fruit at 8 fold harvesting maturity still maintained commercial quality, and their losses of TSS, total acids and VC were 11,4%,22.2% and 13.3%, in comparison of the 95.5% retention of commercial quality, and 14.1%,31.6% and 16.1% losses of TSS, total acids and VC in fruit of 7 fold maturity, indicating that 8 fold maturity is a better maturity stage for loquat fruit storage.4. 51d after storage under the chilling programⅠ, packageⅠ(plastic cup holding single fruit in cardboard box) resulted in 27.4% loss of combined dehydration and decay, whereas packageⅡ(fruit in plastic bag, 3kg each in 33×24×10 cm holed plastic box) resulted in 9.6%,5.6%,27.8% and 14.4% losses in combined dehydration and decay, TSS, Organic acid and VC. The corresponding losses of fruit in packageⅢ(15kg fruit in holed plastic box, and covered with tissue paper) were 11.6%, 8.8%,33.3% and 18.1% respectively. These results indicated that packageⅡwere the better package for the storage of loquat fruit under programmed chilling in this experiment.In summary, it was found that the chilling programⅠin combination of plastic bag package was an effective method for storage of loquat fruit. It could extend the storage life of the fruit over 50d.