1-Methylcyclopropene treatment alters fruit quality attributes and targeted metabolites in ‘Wonhwang’ pears during shelf life

Abstract

Abstract ‘Wonhwang’ pears are susceptible to the development of cortex and core browning after harvest. The effects of 1 μL L−1 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment on fruit quality, internal browning incidence, and targeted metabolites were evaluated in fruit stored at 25 °C for up to 30 d. Flesh firmness was higher in 1-MCP-treated fruit than in untreated fruit during storage; however, shrivelling increased in response to 1-MCP treatment. 1-MCP treatment delayed the changes in colour variables in core tissues but not in peel and cortex tissues, delayed cortex and core browning, and increased shrivelling. 1-MCP-treated fruit had higher sucrose, dehydroascorbic acid, alanine, threonine, and γ-aminobutyric acid contents and lower fructose and glucose contents than untreated fruit. The effects of 1-MCP on the physiological and metabolomic responses of fruit were detected using heatmap matrixes and by principal component analysis.