Grant Information
| Knowledge Area | Subject of Investigation | Field of Science | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 503 - Quality Maintenance in Storing and Marketing Food Products | 1099 - Tropical/subtropical fruit, general/other | 1020 - Physiology | 25% |
| 503 - Quality Maintenance in Storing and Marketing Food Products | 1119 - Deciduous tree fruits, general/other | 1020 - Physiology | 25% |
| 503 - Quality Maintenance in Storing and Marketing Food Products | 1129 - Berries and cane fruits, general/other | 1020 - Physiology | 25% |
| 503 - Quality Maintenance in Storing and Marketing Food Products | 1199 - Deciduous and small fruits, general/other | 1020 - Physiology | 25% |
This project involves research on a wide variety of fruits that are important in different growing regions. These fruits include avocados, blueberries, cherries, papaya, peaches, pears, pineapples and plums, with the most collaborative focus on apple fruit, the most valuable fruit crop in most of the participating states. Research with all of these specialty crops is critical to the project's success, and sharing of technical knowledge, especially about application of new technologies, increases the probability of successful outcomes from research on all fruits. Also, while this project primarily addresses the needs of large-scale fruit storage operations, the knowledge obtained is adaptable to meet the needs of smaller-scale operations. The project involves most postharvest scientists in the USA and Canada, nearly all with extension/outreach responsibilities, thereby providing a powerful platform for development and extension of this knowledge.The multistate project described here is focused on fruit, reflecting the continued investment in postharvest issues related to fruit by the Agricultural Experiment Stations. The project objectives address a range of postharvest issues of fruits throughout the US as well as Canada. The efforts of this project will lead to more effective control measures and new knowledge of the genetic and biochemical causes of the disorders. By necessity, our collective work continues to assess metabolic bases of these losses and identify novel solutions mitigating them in a changing regulatory environment such as sorting to improve storage consistency or remove high risk fruit. Nonchemical and reduced risk chemical methods of preventing losses will be studied/developed as a way to extend storage life of highly perishable fruits such as berries. 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), an ethylene action and ripening inhibitor developed by members of this project, has been adopted as a common commercial means to control ripening and maintain quality in storage of apple and continues to be a critical area of research. As 1-MCP moves off patent, new applications of value to varied commercial interests are being assessed and uses with fruits other than apple are gaining a renewed interest.As a group, we will actively collaborate to find solutions to problems faced by the fruit industry. The researchers in this project have skillsets that span a number of scientific fields (e.g., pathology, engineering, nutrition, physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology) and have an established track record for collaboration on projects across North America and continue to recruit new collaborators. The project actively develops solutions for rapid implementation to maintain industry profitability, while supporting the applied research with a strong basic program that seeks to understand fruit physiology and biochemistry, particularly in relation to responses to genetic differences among cultivars, and responses of fruits to technologies such as 1-MCP and CA storage regimes. The genetic underpinnings of the biochemical mechanisms involved in the induction of storage disorders and fruit quality are being elucidated, often in association with grants based on research that was originally carried out under the auspices of this project. Future combined efforts hold the promise of finding the causes of browning disorders such as bitter pit, chilling injuries, CO2injury, and emergent physiological disorders. Increasing consumer appeal of U.S. fruit through improvement of texture, flavor, and aroma, and preventing losses for growers can best be approached by a broad array of sensory, physiological, biochemical, and molecular genetic techniques.Integration of sensory testing into postharvest research has been challenging, as physical measurements of quality do not always predict consumer preferences.Cost effective sensory analyses are difficult, and most postharvest research data are based on physical measurement such as texture, soluble solids, and acidity. In this project, we will develop a sensory framework for use by various stations involved in the project across North America.
Objective 1. Adapt or develop harvest, handling and storage technologies to improve fruit quality, increase consumption and reduce food waste.Sub-objective 2. Development of tailored maturity, handling and storage recommendations for blueberries, blackberries and other small fruits, stonefruit and apple selections (FL, MD, ME, MI, NC, NY, ON, WA, WA-USDA) and tropical fruit (pineapple, papaya) (HI). Optimum harvest dates using new quality index tools such as the DA and F750 meters, together with traditional harvest index tools such ethylene production, internal ethylene concentrations, starch pattern indices, firmness, soluble solids concentrations, color, sugars, organic acids and titratable acidity will be developed. These indices will be related to storage performance under air and CA conditions. Commercially available and prototype machines for mechanical harvest will be tested on various crops, including blueberry and strawberry. Mechanical harvest and use of mobile harvest platforms show promise for reducing dependence upon hand labor. The role played by temperature management practices prior to and during storage and shipping on fruit quality maintenance will be included in this sub-objective. This includes studies to improve cooling efficiency and efficacy by testing new applications of existing rapid cooling methods and packaging on a variety of fruit crops. The ability to combine rapid screening of fruit and compositional changes will provide more precise information for best storage methods and handling for consumer acceptance.Sub-objective 5.To evaluate new non-destructive tools to assess fruit maturity and fruit quality (FL, HI, ME, MI, MN, NY, ON). New instruments, such as the DA meter (chlorophyll assessment) and F750 (primarily dry matter concentrations but can be used to model other quality attributes) are becoming available to researchers and industry. We will collaborate in this project to assess the utility of these tools, alone and in combination, for their relationships with maturity and quality assessments by traditional means. Work in this sub-objective will overlap with 1 and 2 as appropriate, but the focus will be on use of these tools for prediction of optimal timing of preharvest plant growth regulator sprays, and for prediction of physiological storage disorders. Collaborative research approaches have been designed. Data will be analyzed collectively and reviewed at the annual multistate project meeting.Sub-objective 6.To optimize use of 1-MCP and ethylene scrubbing on fruit including apples, stonefruit, cherries and strawberries, and to investigate novel application methods (FL, HI, MI, NY). We will investigate the use of 1-MCP to arrest the ripening of fruit at different ripeness stages. New, controlled-release 1-MCP sachet technology will be investigated in conjunction with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) in simulated and actual (between stations) distribution to allow marketing of tree-ripe stone fruits, and subtropical and tropical fruits. This research will include evaluation of recovery of ripening competence by climacteric fruits following 1-MCP application at different ripeness stages. Possible prophylactic effects of controlled-release 1-MCP on potentially ethylene-sensitive products (small fruits and fruit-type vegetables) during simulated handling and distribution will also be evaluated. Benefits of new, palladium-based ethylene scrubbing technology with greater ethylene affinity and scrubbing capacity than traditional technologies will also be evaluated with fruit other than apple at different ripeness stages in simulated and actual (between stations) distribution tests.Sub-objective 7.To improve our understanding of how our research reduces postharvest losses and contributes to economic benefit for producers and health benefits of consumers.Objective 2. Improve our understanding of the biology of fruit quality to further our development of harvest and storage technology and development of new plant materials.Sub-objective 3.The mechanisms by which application of sublethal postharvest stress treatments (e.g., heat or extreme atmosphere) affect, 1. Fruit ripening, and, 2. Upregulation of the fruit antioxidant system will be studied. The latter may confer tolerance to subsequent stresses such as chilling exposure.Heat treatments that have been previously developed for decay or insect control and brief exposure to anoxic or extreme CO2atmospheres will be evaluated for effects on fruit quality and the fruit antioxidant system including stimulation of synthesis of pigments and aroma volatiles (FL).
Target Audience
Results of these studies will be distributed to horticultural and other plant scientists through publication in peer-reviewed scholarly journals, presentations at national/international sci ntific conferences, and incorporation into course curricula, as well as through presentations to related industry audiences.
Changes / Problems
Nothing Reported
Training & Professional Development
The studies described have constituted the focus of three PhD projects and a MSc project as well as research contributed by visiting scientists and support personnel.
Dissemination Streams
Publication in high-impact refereed journals and presentations at state and national conferences.
Next Reporting Steps
Continue the project, "Smart Monitoring and Analytics in the Strawberry Supply Chain," during the 2021 Florida season by testing models we have created that connectstrawberry distribution temperature profiles with quality changes. Work on the project, "Strategies to Improve Peach Fruit Quality and Size." Complete the project, "Postharvest Evaluation of Potential New Mango Varieties;" analyze data and submit report to the NMB (work was suspended in 2020). Continue working with It's Fresh: measure ethylene filter performance and conduct planned shipping tests with avocadoesand mangoes. Complete the project, "Possible Role for Ethylene in Banana Fruit Chilling Injury," by evaluating proteomic changes during chilling injury symptom development in bananas +/- 1-MCP held at or below the putative chilling threshold of 13°C. Publish results from previous projects in refereed and trade journals and meeting proceedings. Complete Year 2 of the project, "Analysis of the antioxidant qualities of flowers and fruit of several commercial varieties of Sambucus nigra ssp. Canadensis in Florida." Evaluatetropical fruit response to 1-MCP controlled release sachet treatment, including recovery of ripening, during distribution using mango, avocado, papaya, Annona, and guava. This project is sponsored by Hazel Technologies, Inc.
Target Audience
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Helvetica} Results of these studies will be distributed to horticultural and other plant scientists through publication in peer-reviewed scholarly journals, presentations at national/international scientific conferences, and incorporation into course curricula, as well as through presentations to related industry audiences.
Changes / Problems
Nothing Reported
Training & Professional Development
Brecht was an instructor in the extension workshop, "Fruit Ripening and Ethylene Management Workshop," at UC Davis in April. Sargent was an instructor at the Agent In-Service Training, at the Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference in Savannah GA in January, and presented on "Harvest with hand-held shakers and modified fruit catch surfaces on fruit quality of southern highbush blueberries." The studies described have constituted the focus of two PhD projects and a MSc project as well as research contributed by visiting scientists and support personnel.
Dissemination Streams
Publication in high-impact refereed journals and presentations at national and international conferences. Also presented to the fruit industry at the Fruit Ripening & Ethylene Manangement Workshop at UC Davis.
Next Reporting Steps
Continue the project, "Smart Monitoring and Analytics in the Strawberry Supply Chain," by recreating distribution scenarios using programmable storage chambers in the UF Postharvest Laboratories and measuring strawberry quality changes during the 2020 Florida season. Initiate a new project, "Strategies to Improve Peach Fruit Quality and Size." Complete the project, "Postharvest Evaluation of Potential New Mango Varieties;" analyze data and submit report to the NMB. Continue working with It's Fresh: measure ethylene filter performance and conduct planned shipping tests with avocadoes and mangoes. Continue quality evaluation of promising elderberry cultivars and accessions. Determine effects of hydrohandling system on physical damage for strawberries. Continue investigating the "Possible Role for Ethylene in Banana Fruit Chilling Injury" by evaluating chilling injury symptom development in bananas +/- 1-MCP held at or below the putative chilling threshold of 13°C. Continue evaluating the "Role of Mineral Nutrition in Fruit Development, Fruit Quality, and Postharvest Storage Life of HLB-affected Mandarin Cultivars." Publish results from previous projects in refereed and trade journals and meeting proceedings. <br><br>
<br>What was accomplished under these goals? GOAL 1. Blueberry growers may have more potential to mechanically harvest southern highbush cultivars if results from the modified harvester continue to show promise in minimizing bruising at harvest. Hydrohandling of fresh strawberries in the context of mechanical harvesting does not jeopardize postharvest quality according to our recent tests in 2019. Plant essential oils were shown to enhance decay control of fresh strawberries with regard to Rhizopus and Botrytis rots. A number of elderberry varieties and accessions wereevaluated for potential for Florida growers by determining phenolics and anthocyanins contents. Elderberry is a high-value substrate for a variety of processed products and could be a profitable alternate crop for growers. GOAL 2. We demonstrated that variation in bruising susceptibility among strawberry cultivars is related to differences in their rates of wound ethylene production and their susceptibility to ethylene exposure.'Monterey', 'Florida Radiance' and 'Cultivar A' were more susceptible to bruising than 'Sweet Sensation' and 'Cultivar B', and showed more ethylene-enhanced symptoms, including darker color or severe water-soaking at the injured area or yellowing or browning of the calyx compared with unbruised control fruit. 'Cultivar B' with the lowest wound ethylene production also exhibited the lowest bruising severity. The role of mineral nutrition in fruit development, fruit quality, and postharvest storage life of HLB-affected mandarin cultivars was demonstrated.Hydroponic culture was used to study the nutrient uptake behavior of HLB-affected and healthy plants, focusing on K, Ca, B, and combinations.Overall, K and B separately and in combination improved the fruit quality attributes of HLB-affected 'LB8-9' mandarins. The involvement of ethylene in chilling injury (CI) of banana fruit is being investigated.We are hypothesizing that endogenously produced stress ethylene induced by exposure to chilling temperature plays a role in the development of CI and CI symptoms in banana fruit. We have found that inhibition of ethylene action using 1-MCP delays development of vascular browning, a symptom of CI. <br><br><b>Publications</b><br>