Effect of maturity on postharvest cold storage of ‘Gaixian' plums

To study the effects of maturity on postharvest cold storage of ‘Gaixian' plums.The fruit quality and tissue browning of ‘Gaixian' plum with different maturity was investigated during storage at(0±0.5) ℃ with relative humidity 80%~90%. Results showed that firmness of flesh,juice yield,titratable acid(TA) content and weight loss rate of the fruit picked at low maturity were significantly higher than those of fruit picked at medium and high maturity during storage at low temperature(p<0.05). Meanwhile,p H value,soluble solid content(SSC)and SSC/TA ratio,ethylene releasing rate and index of color turning of the fruit picked at high maturity were distinctly higher than those of one picked at low or medium maturity(p<0.05). However,flesh browning index of the high mature plum fruit was obviously higher than those of fruit at other two kinds of maturity(p<0.05). It was suggested that ‘Gaixian' plum harvested at low to medium maturity was suitable for long-term storage up to10 week,and fruit harvested at medium to high maturity was suitable for 8 week storage.