Research Progress on the Mechanism of Chilling Injury and Alleviating Measures in Peach Fruit

Peach fruit is easy perishable with its high respiration and ethylene emission peak after postharvest at room temperature for its climacteric character. Cold storage is one of the most effective way to extend the storage shelf life, however, peach fruit is chilling sensitive and highly vulnerable to chilling injury (CI) during long-term inappropriate low temperature storage. The peach fruit show deterioration of quality of flesh leathery with texture elevated, occurrence of tissue woolliness, internal browning and loss of the inherent flavor which being the main risk of the sound development of peach industry. This article reviews the research progress of the mechanism on peach fruit chilling injury and summarizes the influence on change of cell membrane, cell wall metabolic, antioxidant system and arginine metabolism. In addition, the postharvest technologies to control chilling injury are also detailed, which would provide the foundation for the theoretical study and develop of applied techniques for storage and fresh-keeping after postharvest in peach.