Vol. 12, Issue 4 (2023)

Author(s):
Harish Kumar, Neeraj Gupta, Julie D Bandral, Monika Sood, Anju Bhat, Monica Reshi and Jagmohan Singh

Abstract:
The rapid rate of ripening of fruits and senescence of fruits, vegetables and flowers due to the plant hormone ethylene has direct implications on their biology, shelf-life, durability, processability, postharvest losses and management practices. An average of one -third of harvested edible product is wasted worldwide after harvest. Energy, vitamins, minerals, fiber, phenolics (anthocyanins, flavonoids, etc.), pigments (carotenes, betacyanin’s, etc.) and other phytochemicals are all found in fruits and vegetables. Due to the nutraceutical functions of these bioactive compounds in fruits and vegetables are classified as functional foods in the human diet. One of the most popular techniques for delaying the ripening of fruits and vegetables is the use of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). 1-methylcyclopropene is an odorless gas that biologically resembles ethylene and can bind to the ethylene receptors in fruits, inhibiting the normal action of ethylene and extending the storage life of fruit. 1-MCP is an inhibitor of ethylene that can significantly affect the ripening and senescence of many agricultural commodities because the binding of 1-MCP to the ethylene receptor allows the ethylene sequence to be inactivated and protects. In some commodities, 1-MCP may be sprayed at lower temperatures, however it is most frequently used between 68 – 77 °F (20 – 25 °C). Usually, treatments lasting 12 to 24 hours were enough to produce a complete response. In order to prolong the shelf life of fruits, vegetables and ornamentals, 1-MCP shows better performance. Other benefits of 1-MCP includes non-toxicity, safety, low volume, excellent efficiency and no environmental pollution.