Resumo

TOVAR-GOMEZ, Beatriz; MATA-MONTES DE OCA, Miguel; GARCIA-GALINDO, Hugo Sergio  e  MONTALVO-GONZALEZ, Efigenia. Effect of wax emulsions and 1-methylcyclpropene on soursop fruit postharvest conservation. Rev. Chapingo Ser.Hortic [online]. 2011, vol.17, n.spe1, pp.53-61. ISSN 2007-4034.

The soursop fruit (Annona muricata L.) is an important fruit in the national and international markets, but marketing is limited by the fruit's short shelf life. The fruit reaches ripeness five days after harvest at physiological maturity when stored at 25 °C and 8-9 days at 13 ± 2 °C. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of three wax emulsions on the shelf life of soursop fruit: Carnauba Type III, carnauba with silicone oils, and candelilla, and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), alone or in combination with emulsions. The fruits harvested at physiological maturity and treated were stored at 13 ± 2 °C. We analyzed the changes in weight loss, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, external color, brightness and firmness in the whole fruit. The emulsions did not delay ripening of soursop, but decreased weight loss of fruits. The 1-MCP at 1,000 nL·L^-1 for 12 h did not delay ripening of soursop, but firmness of the fruits remained higher from the day of harvest to 6 days of storage, while the combination of 1-MCP + emulsions delayed ripening of soursop from six to seven days longer than the control. The application of 1-MCP at 1000 nL·L^-1 for 12 h combined with carnauba-silicone oil wax emulsions carnauba or candelilla and stored at 13 ± 2 °C is a possible alternative for extending the shelf life of soursop fruit.

Palavras-chave : Annona muricata L.; coating; 1-MCP; shelf life.