Apple Quality as Influenced by Fumigation with Methyl Bromide

Abstract

The use of methyl bromide (MeBr) did not detract from the firmness or skin color of 'Delicious', 'Golden Delicious' or 'Granny Smith' apples. Fruit fumigation with MeBr rest&cd in a darkening of the objective and subjective internal flesh color of 'Delicious apples, particularly unwaxed apples treated with 48g MeBr/m3 at 20°C for 2 hr. Internal flesh color of 'Golden Delicious' apples was not influenced at 48g MeBr/m3 at 6°C for 2 hr. Fumigation with 32g MeBr/ m3 at 20°C or 56g MeBr/m3 at 6°C for 2 hr did not detract from the firmness or internal color quality of 'Delicious', 'Golden Delicious' or 'Granny Smith' apples after 60 days in storage. MeBr-treated apples displayed greater acidity and less ethylene production than control fruit. Higher MeBr treatment temperature and the use of wax on fruit directly influenced the reaction of apples to MeBr fumigation.

METHYL BROMIDE, TIME and TEMPERATURE of EXPOSURE ON APPLE QUALITY

“…Fumigations were conducted as previously reported (Drake et al 1988). After fumigation the apples were boxed (no liner), placed in refrigerated storage at O"C, periodically removed (C7, 30 and 60 days) and evaluated.…”

“…Fruit were evaluated for firmness, objective and subjective internal color and titratable acidity. Evaluations were conducted as previously reported (Drake et al 1988). Analjeis of variance was determined by SAS (1985) and means were separated by the Waller-Duncan test.…”

“…MeBr injury to apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) has been widely reported, but results have varied due to many reasons, including the cultivar, fumigation procedures and the length of time required for the injury to appear (Phillips et al 1938;Phillips and MONO 1939;Chapman 1940;Kenworthy 1944;Kenworthy and Gaddis 1946;Claypool and Vines 1956;Olsen 1986;Drake et al 1988). Phillips and Monro (1939) observed no injury to 'Delicious' apples when treated with MeBr.…”

“…Olsen (1986) observed internal browning in 'Delicious' apples after treatment with high rates of MeBr. Drake et al (1988) reported internal darkening of 'Delicious' apples after exposure to MeBr, but the damage required time to appear and was dosage and possibly temperature and time of exposure dependent.…”

Residues in apples and sweet cherries after methyl bromide fumigation

“…Some countries, such as Japan, require that US‐produced apples, Malus domestica Borkh, and sweet cherries, Prunus avium (L), must be fumigated with methyl bromide for codling moth, Cydia pomonella L (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), an internal‐feeding quarantine pest 1–3. Apples are fumigated with 56 g m −3 for 2 h at 10 °C after 55 days of cold storage at 2.2 °C, and sweet cherries are fumigated with 64 g m −3 for 2 h at 6 to 12 °C; 48 g m −3 for 2 h at 12 to 17 °C; 40 g m −3 for 2 h at 17 to 22 °C; or 32 g m −3 for 2 h at 22 °C and above.…”