Kevin E. Maloney

Cultivar variation in response of strawberry fruit to high carbon dioxide treatments

The influence of cultivar on responses of strawberry fruit to 20 kPa CO2 or air storage at 2 °C was measured for 7 days. CO2 storage increased firmness of all cultivars over air storage, but the degree of increase was affected by cultivar and days in storage. CO2-treated fruit were lighter colored and less intensely red than air-treated fruit. Accumulations of acetaldehyde, ethanol and ethyl acetate in CO2-treated fruit were strongly affected by cultivar, with those in ‘Annapolis’ having the lowest and those in ‘Governor Simcoe’ having the highest concentrations. Genetic variation in this response provides useful material for investigating the metabolic basis of CO2 effects in strawberry fruit.