Innovative and sustainable postharvest treatments to control physiological disorders and decay in lemon fruit during long transport and commercialization

© 2018 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved. The effects of different sustainable postharvest treatments to control chilling injury, peteca, and Penicillium spp. were studied on lemon fruit (Citrus × limon `Verna¿). The treatments were: Citrocide® PC (0.6%), UV-C radiation (20 kJ m-2) and hot water dipping (55°C for 2 min), hereinafter called curing. Lemons were stored for 33 days at 2 or 7°C, which simulated a long transport period, followed by 5 days at 22°C, simulating a real commercialization period. Peteca incidence was mainly found after commercialization of those lemons previously stored at 2°C. Postharvest treatments greatly reduced peteca incidence by 90-100% without great differences among them. Chilling injury was also generally found after commercialization of lemons previously stored at 2°C. Chilling injury incidence was reduced by 35-45% after applied postharvest treatments without differences among them. Penicillium spp. was reduced by 40-93, 40-60 and 70-100% in lemons treated with Citrocide® PC, UV-C radiation and curing, respectively, after commercialization of those lemons previously stored 33 days at 2°C. Weight losses after transport period at 7°C (the most unfavourable conditions) were reduced by 80% after Citrocide® PC and 50-65% after UV-C radiation and curing treatments. Generally, Citrocide® PC was the treatment that better maintained visual appearance and firmness of lemons after both transport and commercialization periods. As main conclusion, all postharvest treatments greatly reduced peteca, chilling injury and Penicillium spp. incidence, although Citrocide® PC better reduced weight loss and maintained visual appearance and firmness of lemons during transport and commercialization.