Amadurecimento e desenvolvimento de dano pelo frio em tomates ‘monte carlo’ tratados com 1-metilciclopropeno

The cold storage has been a commom practice for extending the postharvest life of non-long-life tomatoes.However, instead of maintaining quality, low temperatures may lead tomato fruits to develop chilling injury symptoms.Thus, this work aimed to evaluate the effect of inhibiting the ethylene action on the ripening and development of chilling injury in 'Monte Carlo' tomato fruits stored at 10°C and 5°C.The experiment was a bifatorial (3x2), with different storage temperature (20°C, 10°C and 5°C) and the treatment or not of 1,0 µl l -1 of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), a compound that irreversible blocks the ethylene action.After 14 days of storage, 5°C-stored fruits showed higher ethylene synthesis and respiration.Whereas 1-MCP enhanced this effect at 5°C, it reduced the ethylene production and respiration at 20°C and 10°C.Chilling injury was sharply increased at 5°C and slightly stimulated by inhibiting ethylene action.1-MCP-treated fruits stored at 10°C showed lower post-storage red color development, suggesting that at this temperature the ability of the fruits in overcomming the inihibition caused by 1-MCP is decreased.1-MCP reduced flesh firmness and acidity loss in fruits stored at 20°C and 10°C but not at 5°C.Thus, we conclude that the quality of non-long-life tomato fruits can be maintained during 14 days either by storing at 10°C or by applying 1-MCP at 20°C.Whereas the application of 1-MCP associated with the storage at 10°C may damage the ripening of the fruits, at 5°C it increase slightly the development of chilling injury symptoms.