Fruit color is one important trait that largely determines the quality of navel orange fruits. Scientists at Jiangxi Agricultural University (Nanchang, China) have evaluated the influence of ventilating warehouse (VW), mechanical refrigeration warehouse (MRW) and mountain evaporative cooling ventilating warehouses (MECW) storage on the quality and peel color in navel orange.
During storage, the weight loss rate and rot rate of navel orange fruit gradually increased, and total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA) and vitamin c gradually decreased. Results showed that the weight loss rate and decay rate of fruits stored in MRW and MECW were lower than those of fruits stored in VW, and the contents of TSS, TA and vitamin C were higher than those of fruits stored in VW. However, the color change of VW and MECW fruits was better than that of MRW fruits. The chlorophyll content of VW and MECW fruits was significantly lower than that of MRW fruits, and the carotenoid content of VW and MECW fruits was significantly higher than that of MRW fruits in the late storage period.
The scientists conclude "This is the first study of the changes in the quality and color of navel orange under three storage methods (VW, MRW, and MECW). Our study suggests MECW as the best storage technology among the three storage methods and provides a theoretical basis for the practical application of MECW in citrus fruit storage".
Source: Yang Gao, Yang Liu, Chaonan Kan, Ming Chen, Jinyin Chen, 'Changes of peel color and fruit quality in navel orange fruits under different storage methods', 2019, Scientia Horticulturae, Volume 256, 108522.