Overview of 1-Methylcyclopropene Trials and Uses for Edible Horticultural Crops

The inhibitor of ethylene perception, 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), is the basis of a new technology that is increasingly being used to improve storage potential and maintain quality of fruit and vegetables. 1-MCP is registered for use on a number of crops, including apple, apricot, avocado, banana, broccoli, kiwifruit, pear, mango, melon, peach, nectarine, persimmon, plum, and tomato. The registered crop is often specific to country. The effects of 1-MCP on quality of these crops, as well as its effects on physiological disorders and pathological diseases, are reviewed. Most available literature on 1-MCP has focused on laboratory-based trials and little information exists about its effects on product quality at the commercial level. The apple is the most significant exception, being the first crop for which 1-MCP was used commercially and extensively around the world. The apple is a crop for which limited ripening after harvest is desirable. For many other fruit, successful commercialization of 1-MCP will require an appropriate balance between 1-MCP concentrations and exposure periods that will delay but not inhibit ripening. The effects of preharvest factors, cultivar, maturity, and postharvest practices are complex and will impact commercial success of 1-MCP-based technology. For leafy or nonfruit vegetables, the advantages of 1-MCP may only be apparent under abusive conditions such as high temperatures and exogenous ethylene exposure. Finally, commercial utilization of 1-MCP-based technology will be a function of the cost of its application relative to its benefits for each product.