Khudik L. The development of a storage technology of early-winter apple cultivars when post-harvest treatment with ethylene inhibitor is applied

The dissertation is devoted to the explanation of the development of continued storage of Kalvil snihovyi and Spartan apples at post-harvest treatment with ethylene inhibitor 1-metylcyclopropen (1-MCP). An instrumental technique how to identify the onset of a T-phase of phenological development of apple tree fruit was worked out and patented for a establishing an optimal harvesting term for the apples with the recommended value of the maturity index. Confirmed the lower intensity of ethylene production by 7.2–15 times when the maximum was reached after two-three months in the refrigerator and reaching quite a low level, by 2.3–2.4 times, at the end of a seven-month storage. Post-harvest treatment guaranteed fewer losses of initial chlorophyll content “a”+”b” in an apple skin by 13–21% during a six-month storage which decreased yellowing of Kalvil snihovyi apples by 45–48% and that of Spartan apples – by 2.2–2.7 times. Chlorophyll content in a skin was higher by 0.15–0.33 mg/100 g and a light reflection level after refrigerator storage was lower by 13–17 %, and at the end of a simulated turnover the indicators were better by 0.13–0.40 mg/100 g and by 12–18 %, respectively. The treatment with 1-MCP decreased the loss of fruit pulp density by 13.5–31% during storage, which, after a six-month shelf-life in a refrigerator, ensured a higher minimal density threshold (5.5 kg/cm2) of Kalvil snihovyi apples for their delivery to trade network. The efficiency of post-harvest treatment with ethylene inhibitor for the preservation of the main indicators of a biochemical composition of fruit was demonstrated, along with the availability of higher (by 0.9 %) content of dry soluble substances during a six-month refrigerator storage, namely total sugar content – by 0.5–0.7 %, ascorbic acid – by 0.34 mg/100 g, organic acids — by 1.8 times, polyphenols and a dominating effect on remaining content of these components in fruit at the end of post-refrigerator maturation. Post-harvest treatment with 1-MCP made it possible to extend a rational shelf-life of early winter apple cultivars in the cooled state by 87–105 days, as well as to receive a higher output of standard produce by 14–45.7% at the end of six-month storage, with the dominance of a higher marketable cultivar. The intensity of soft rot was decreased considerably — by 7.2–8.3 times, that of fruit browning of Kalvil snihovyi — by 3.3–3.6 times; the level of natural losses was reduced by 0.2–0.6 %, the amount of technical failure — by 3.5–5 times, that of absolute fruit waste of Kalvil snihovyi — 22.5–41 times. It was suggested to apply the storage technology for early winter apple cultivars along with the use of post-harvest treatment with ethylene inhibitor without obligatory traditional prior cooling of the produce. It was facilitated the profitability increase of apple shelf-life by 45–81%, and also ensured the profit which was equal to 2585.05–4393.89 hrn/t after six-month storage in the refrigerator.