Skip to main content

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Hortic.
Sec. Postharvest Physiology, Management and Technology
Volume 4 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fhort.2025.1509989
This article is part of the Research Topic Sustainable Approaches to Food Loss and Waste Reduction in Smallholder Horticulture: from Proof of Concept to Scale View all 5 articles

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT 1-METHYLCYCLOPROPENE FORMULATIONS AND DOSING ON THE RIPENING PROFILE OF TOMMY ATKINS MANGO FRUITS

Provisionally accepted
Geoffrey Chomba Geoffrey Chomba *Jane Lukhachi Ambuko Jane Lukhachi Ambuko *Cecilia Onyango Cecilia Onyango John Robert Ouko John Robert Ouko
  • University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    High postharvest losses estimated between 30 to 50% characterize the mango value chain due to its climacteric nature and high perishability. The fruit's shelf-life can be extended through the application of 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), an inhibitor of ethylene action. The efficacy of 1-MCP is affected by harvest maturity and treatment factors. This study sought to establish the effectiveness of two 1-MCP formulations in 'Tommy Atkins' mango variety harvested at two maturity stages. A homogeneous batch of 60 fruits from each maturity stage was exposed to two innovative 1-MCP formulations (SmartFresh TM -SmartTabs TM and SmartFresh TM -Inbox Sachet). SmartFresh TM -SmartTabs TM was applied at 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0ppm concentrations for 12hrs and 24hrs while SmartFresh TM -Inbox Sachet was applied at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0ppm concentrations for 12hrs. The fruits were then ripened at ambient conditions. Samples of three fruits were taken at 3-day intervals for measurement of ethylene evolution, respiration rates, total soluble solids (TSS), color, and firmness. Response to 1-MCP was significantly (P≤0.05) affected by maturity stage, 1-MCP concentration and exposure time. Untreated fruits exhibited higher ethylene peaks than fruits treated with 1-MCP. Stage 1 fruits subjected to 2.0ppm SmartFresh TM -SmartTabs TM had lower ethylene peaks compared to fruits subjected to 1.0 ppm concentration. Stage 2 fruits subjected to SmartFresh TM -SmartTabs TM formulation, had a delayed ethylene peak with 2.0ppm treatment recording a higher ethylene peak compared to 1.0 ppm. Stage 1 fruits subjected to SmartFresh TM -Inbox Sachet at 4.0ppm had the lowest ethylene peak. There was significant interaction between 1-MCP treatments and maturity stage in delaying ripening-related changes including the decrease in hue angle and firmness, and increase in TSS. Both SmartFresh TM -SmartTabs TM and SmartFresh TM -Inbox Sachet were effective in delaying mango ripening but at different concentrations and exposure times for the two stages of maturity. We therefore recommend the two formulations for commercial application in the 'Tommy Atkins' mango variety to extend postharvest shelf life.

    Keywords: 1-methylcyclopropene, 1-MCP, ethylene, Mango, shelf life, postharvest

    Received: 11 Oct 2024; Accepted: 10 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Chomba, Ambuko, Onyango and Ouko. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Geoffrey Chomba, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
    Jane Lukhachi Ambuko, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.