1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) is applied as an inhibitor of ethylene action, which is widely used in postharvest technology to prolong the shelf life of many fruits. The aim of the study was to assess the possibility to apply 1-MCP treatment to maintain the quality of ‘Idared’ apples for long-distance transportation. The studied apples were assessed in three groups: (I) 1-MCP postharvest treatment; (II) 1-MCP postharvest treatment with Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) selected gas permeability bags; and (III) control groups (with neither 1-MCP treatment, nor dedicated packaging). Apples were subjected to storage in the Ultra Low Oxygen (ULO) chamber that was applied for 0 weeks, 10 weeks and 20 weeks (three periods of storage); simulated long-distance transport (6 weeks); and simulated distribution, which was applied for 0 days, 5 days, 10 days, and 15 days (4 periods of distribution). The obtained 36 groups (three postharvest treatments per three periods of storage per four periods of distribution) were analyzed to assess firmness, total soluble solids (TSS) and titratable acidity (TA). There were differences between firmness values for control groups and those with 1-MCP applied, which were characterized by higher values of firmness (p < 0.05). Groups with 1-MCP and MAP applied combined were characterized by higher values of TSS than control groups (p < 0.05). The majority of groups with 1-MCP applied alone were characterized by higher values of TA than control groups (p < 0.05), but values for samples attributed to 1-MCP and MAP combined were not higher than for 1-MCP alone. It may be concluded that 1-MCP applied postharvest contributed to higher results of firmness and TA of ‘Idared’ apples after long-distance transportation, but combining 1-MCP with MAP did not contribute to further differences for TA. However, for TSS the observed influence was inconclusive. It may be stated that 1-MCP is a beneficial treatment for ‘Idared’ apples for long-distance transportation as it prolongs their shelf life and improves firmness.

Fruit growers are looking for effective solutions to preserve the high quality of apples after storage. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the impact of pre- and postharvest use of 1-MCP on the quality of ‘Gala Schniga^® SchniCo Red(s)’ apples harvested at the optimal harvest date and at a delayed harvest date and stored for 9 months under conditions similar to DCA (0.6% CO₂ and 0.6% O₂). Four treatments: control (1-MCP untreated), 1-MCP treated 7 days before harvest (Harvista™), 1-MCP treated 7 days after harvest (Smart-Fresh™), and 1-MCP treated before and after harvest (Harvista™ + SmartFresh™) were used, respectively, for each of the above harvest dates. After 5, 7, and 9 months of storage and after an additional 7-day shelf-life period, the following properties were determined: flesh firmness, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, and ethylene production rate. The harvest date and the 1-MCP application date affected ethylene production rate which was reflected in fruit flesh firmness and acidity (p < 0.05). Apples collected at the optimal harvest date from trees sprayed with Harvista™ before harvest retained high firmness (>55 N) after 7 days of shelf-storage at 20 °C, even if previously stored for 9 months. Apples collected later showed firmness similar to the best preferred by consumers only if treated with 1-MCP after harvest.

With the high production of apples in Poland, the priority actions include increasing their export volume. The main objective of the presented research was to maintain sufficient firmness in the apple cultivar Gala Schniga^® SchniCo Red(s) transported to distant markets immediately after harvest or after long-term storage under ULO conditions (1.2% CO₂ and 1.2% O₂). In the study conducted during the 2021/2022 storage season on apples from the experimental orchard of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW-WULS; Warsaw-52°14′ N, 21°1′ E), the effect of the pre- and post-harvest application of 1-MCP, harvest date, and simulated transport duration on the quality of apples in target retail trading conditions was evaluated. Apples collected on a given harvest date were divided into four samples: control (without the use of 1-MCP), Harvista™-sprayed, SmartFresh™-treated, and Harvista™-sprayed + SmartFresh™-treated. Immediately after harvest and after 9 months of storage, the apples were packed in boxes and stored at 1 °C for 6 and 8 weeks (simulated transport conditions). Directly after the simulated transport and after an additional 7 and 14 days at 25 °C (handling conditions in hot countries), the following parameters were determined: firmness, SSC, TA, and ethylene production. The study noted a significant effect of the use of 1-MCP, harvest time, and simulated transport period on all tested parameters. Apples from trees sprayed with Harvista™ maintained a firmness of >55 N for 14 days of shelf-life only if they were harvested at the optimal date and transported immediately after harvest, and if their shipping lasted 6 weeks. Such firmness could be preserved after 8 weeks of the transport of SmartFresh™-treated apples harvested at the optimal date, and of Harvista™-sprayed + SmartFresh™-treated apples harvested at a delayed date. In the latter combination, apples also maintained the desired firmness after 9 months of storage + 6 weeks of transport regardless of the harvest date.

‘Red Jonaprince’ cultivar production is rapidly increasing; therefore, the interest in harvesting in various regions, as well as in improving and maintaining the quality of the apple, is also increasing. The aim of this study was to analyze the possibility of applying 1-MCP treatment in pre- and postharvest treatment for ‘Red Jonaprince’ apples for maintaining the quality of the apple after Ultra-Low Oxygen (ULO) storage. The studied apples were assessed in four groups: 0—control group without any specific treatment applied; group 1—1-MCP applied preharvest; group 2—1-MCP applied postharvest; group 3—1-MCP applied preharvest and postharvest. Measurements were conducted directly after 3, 5 and 6 months of ULO storage and additionally after 7 days of simulated distribution for each period of storage. The 24 groups obtained (four treatments × three storage periods × two simulated distribution periods) were evaluated for firmness, soluble solids content (SSC) and titratable acidity (TA). No statistically significant impact on the SSC of ‘Red Jonaprince’ for all groups was stated (p > 0.05), while for the firmness and TA values, there was a statistically significant impact of applied treatment (ULO storage period and simulated distribution) (p < 0.05). Longer ULO storage as well as longer simulated distribution were associated with decreasing firmness and decreasing TA of apples (p < 0.05). For samples subjected to 1-MCP treatment postharvest and those subjected to 1-MCP treatment preharvest and postharvest combined, the apples in the majority of analyses were protected against decreasing firmness and decreasing TA. It may be concluded that postharvest 1-MCP treatment applied for ‘Red Jonaprince’ apples allows maintaining its quality parameters, including firmness and TA of fruits. Taking this into account, our recommendation is that the postharvest 1-MCP treatment should be sufficient, in order to avoid unreasonable management of 1-MCP, which is not justified to be applied preharvest, or preharvest and postharvest combined, for ‘Red Jonaprince’ apples.

Changing the harvesting time of apples from the optimum harvest window to delayed harvesting may be applied if it is impossible to harvest apples at the optimal time, but it requires changing other factors, as they influence the quality of fruits and shelf life. The aim of the study was to assess the quality of ‘Red Jonaprince’ apples during storage after delayed harvesting and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) preharvest and postharvest treatment for various storage times. Apples were studied within four groups subjected to preharvest and postharvest treatments, as follows: Group 0—no 1-MCP treatment; Group 1—1-MCP preharvest treatment; Group 2—1-MCP postharvest treatment; and Group 3—1-MCP preharvest and postharvest treatment. All apples were subjected to ultra-low oxygen (ULO) storage conducted for 3, 5 or 6 months, while the analyses were conducted directly after ULO storage (simulated shelf life—0 days) and after simulated shelf life (7 days). For firmness, in the case of 1-MCP applied only preharvest (Group 1) and only postharvest (Group 2), before shelf life, the longer ULO storage resulted in obtaining lower values of firmness (p < 0.0001). If 1-MCP was not applied postharvest (Group 0 and Group 1), and short ULO storage was applied (3 and 5 months for Group 0; 3 months for Group 1), after shelf-life lower values of firmness were observed (p < 0.0001). For soluble solids content (SSC), in the case of 1-MCP not applied preharvest (Group 0 and Group 2), before shelf life, and for 1-MCP applied postharvest (Group 2) after shelf life, the longer ULO storage resulted in obtaining lower values of SCC (p < 0.0001). For titratable acidity (TA), in the case of all the studied groups after shelf life, as well as in case of 1-MCP applied only preharvest (Group 1) also before shelf life, the longer ULO storage resulted in obtaining lower values of TA (p < 0.0001). Except for the 1-MCP applied only postharvest (Group 2), in the case of short ULO storage applied (3 and 5 months for Group 0; 5 months for Group 1; 5 months for Group 3), after shelf-life lower values of TA were observed (p < 0.0001). If delayed harvesting must be conducted, applying 1-MCP not only postharvest, but also preharvest, allows obtaining the most stable firmness and SSC, which do not decrease during storage and shelf life. Taking this into account, it may be concluded, that in the case of delayed harvesting, combining 1-MCP applied preharvest and postharvest should be recommended to keep the quality parameters stable during storage and shelf life.

1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), being applied in postharvest treatment of apples as an inhibitor of ethylene perception, contributes to improved quality of apples during 6 weeks of simulated long-distance transportation, but it was not studied if this period may be prolonged. The aim of the present study was to assess the possibility to apply 1-MCP treatment to maintain the quality of Idared apples for long-distance transportation prolonged for 8 weeks. The 1-MCP treatment was applied either alone, or combined with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) in selected gas permeability bags and was compared with control group. Postharvest, the storage in Ultra Low Oxygen (ULO) chamber was applied (3 periods: 0, 10, or 20 weeks), followed by simulated long distance transportation (storage duration of 8 weeks) and simulated distribution (4 periods: 0, 5, 10, or 15 days). Each studied group (36 groups: 3 postharvest treatments × 3 storage periods × 4 distribution periods) constituted 4 batches with 10 random apples each. After simulated distribution period, each sample was analyzed to assess the differences of firmness, total soluble solids (TSS) and titratable acidity (TA). The applied treatment influenced observed values of firmness, TSS and TA within each applied storage duration and duration of distribution (p < 0.05). For the majority of the studied durations of storage and distribution, the highest values of firmness, TSS and TA were observed for the samples from the group of 1-MCP applied combined with MAP, while only for some of them, the highest values of firmness and TA, but not TSS, were observed for the samples from the group of 1-MCP applied alone. It may be concluded that applying 1-MCP in the case of Idared apples for long-distance transportation allows prolonging it to 8 weeks without decreasing quality of fruits. Applying 1-MCP combined with MAP allows obtaining even better results than 1-MCP alone, after 8 weeks of transportation. It may be recommended to apply 1-MCP combined with MAP in order to slow the ripening process and to maintain the quality of apples during a long-distance transportation.