ABSTRACT
During the last decade research about the application of this compound has increased progressively with more than 400 research papers on the topic of 1-MCP and fruit (Figure 8.1, inner graph) and 50 papers on vegetables. The most studied fruit has been apple followed by banana, tomato, pear, and plum (Figure 8.1). Other important fruits with contrasted 1-MCP efcacy are avocado, peach, nectarine, apricot, papaya, melon, and kiwifruit. Nowadays, the effects of 1-MCP on maturity stage, fresh-cut produce, bioactive compounds, storage conditions, and the expression of the genes responsible for the biosynthetic pathway of ethylene are the most important topics under study. However, time for treatment and applied doses still must be studied in different fruits and vegetables. Thus, the impact of 1-MCP on postharvest science and technology has two approaches: (1) It provides the potential to maintain fruit and vegetable quality after harvest, and (2) 1-MCP provides a powerful tool to gain insight into the fundamental processes that are involved in ripening and senescence. Professor Chris Watkins and his colleagues at Cornell University maintain and update a Web page (https://www.hort.cornell.edu/mcp/) with a summary of physiological processes or disorders in fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants that are delayed or decreased, increased, or unaffected by application of 1-MCP (Watkins and Miller, 2005).
