Determinants of Postharvest Quality in ‘Gala Schniga ® SchniCo Red(s)’ Apples: The Role of Harvest Date, Storage Duration, and 1-MCP Application

Maria Małachowska () and Kazimierz Tomala
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Maria Małachowska: Department of Pomology and Horticulture Economics, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW-WULS), ul. Nowoursynowska 159 C, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Kazimierz Tomala: Department of Pomology and Horticulture Economics, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW-WULS), ul. Nowoursynowska 159 C, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 22, 1-22

Abstract: Poland, as a leading apple producer in the EU, must maintain high fruit quality during prolonged storage and distribution, which is crucial for exports to distant markets. Therefore, it is essential to clearly identify which factors most strongly affect quality and the magnitude of their effects in order to make informed choices about pre- and postharvest practices, storage technology, and logistics. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of selected factors on the quality of apples of the ‘Gala Schniga ® SchniCo Red(s)’ cultivar after long-term storage. The study analyzed the effects of harvest date (optimal and delayed), three variants of 1-methylcyclopropene application (control-0 µL·L −1 1-MCP, Harvista™, SmartFresh™, and Harvista™ + SmartFresh™), storage period (5, 7, and 9 months), simulated trading period (0 or 7 days at 20 °C) and storage technology (ULO: 1.2% CO 2 : 1.2% O 2 ; DCA: 0.6% CO 2 : 0.6% O 2 ) in two consecutive seasons (2022/2023 and 2023/2024). Five quality parameters were evaluated: flesh firmness (F), soluble solid content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), SSC/TA ratio, and the concentration of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC). Backward-elimination stepwise regression and partial eta squared (η 2 ) calculations were used to analyze the data to determine the factors with the greatest impact. The post-harvest application of 1-MCP had the strongest effect in terms of maintaining firmness (η 2 = 70.4%) and acidity (η 2 = 38.0%) and reducing ACC content (η 2 = 21.3%). Harvista™ preparation had a weaker or negligible effect on ACC content, but reduced SSC (η 2 = 22.7%). Harvest date, storage duration, and shelf life significantly influenced all traits, with controlled-atmosphere regime further modulating outcomes. By integrating preharvest maturity with treatment timing and CA storage, we disentangled the relative contributions of harvest timing, treatment, and storage. The results provide actionable inputs for a decision-support tool to help producers maintain target quality—firmness, SSC, TA, SSC/TA, and ACC—through optimized practice, storage technology choice, and logistics.

Keywords: DCA; harvest maturity; postharvest physiology; shelf life; ULO (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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