Application of 1-MCP and Plastic Film Packaging for Extending Shelf Life of Cluster Type Tomatoes

In an effort to determine an optimum stage of harvest of cluster tomato cultivars ripening characteristics was compared. Days to reach breaker stage in ‘Aranca’ was observed in 49.0, whereas 51.8 in ‘Campari’ and 54.5 in ‘Amoroso’. Based on days taken for each cluster to reach from B to RR, ‘Aranca’ exhibited the fastest ripening, showing 4.3 days, whereas 7.4 and 7.6 days for ‘Amoroso’ and ‘Campari’, respectively. On the contrary, days taken for a single cluster to reach RR was 4.8 for ‘Campari’, 6.3 days for ‘Amoroso’ and 7.3 for ‘Aranca’, indicating that ‘Campari’ be superior to maintain uniformity in color development among fruits in a single cluster. But fruit setting shape was ununiformed on ‘Campari’. To investigate effects of several postharvest treatment in cluster type tomatoes 1-MCP and three types of film, PE, PP, and OPP (40 μm) were applied and an evaluation of the quality factor, gas composition and activities of cell-wall degrading enzyme PG and cellulose during storage at 10 °C. Only a lower level in ethylene production, a significant delay of tissue softening and of weight loss, fruit detachment force was manifested by 1-MCP and film treatment. However, little difference was observed in changes of total soluble solids content from the fruit treated with film, 1-MCP and air. Abscission was observed at joint in all film treated fruit. Knuckle detachment force of film treated fruit was decrease at 2 days after storage, the activities of PG and cellulose were increased at 1 and 0 day, respectively. However the activity of both PG and cellulose maintained low during storage at 1-MCP treated fruit.