1‐Methylcyclopropene (1‐MCP) effects on natural disease resistance in stored sweet potato

Abstract BACKGROUND The potential of 1‐methylcyclopropene (1‐MCP) to maintain postharvest storage of sweet potato was studied. In two separate experiments, the orange‐fleshed sweet potato cv. Covington was treated with 1‐MCP (1.0 µL L −1 , 24 h) and roots stored at 15 °C. During storage, samples were evaluated for the respiration rate, sprout growth, weight loss, incidence of decay and changes in dry matter. The roots were further assayed for the temporal changes in individual non‐structural carbohydrates and phenolic compounds in the skin and flesh tissues of the proximal (stem end), middle and distal (root end) regions. RESULTS 1‐MCP treatment reduced root weight loss and decay but respiration rate and non‐structural carbohydrates were not affected. No sprouting was recorded irrespective of the treatment. 1‐MCP transiently suppressed the accumulation of individual phenolic compounds, especially in the middle and distal segments. This accentuated the proximal dominance of phenolic compounds. Isochlorogenic acid A and chlorogenic acid were the dominant phenolics in the skin and flesh tissues, respectively. CONCLUSION 1‐MCP treatment may have an anti‐decay effect and reduce weight loss. Therefore, storage trials that involve the use of continuous ethylene supplementation to inhibit sprout growth may be combined with 1‐MCP to alleviate ethylene‐induced weight loss and decay in sweet potato. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry