Effect of Storage Temperature on Fruit Ripening in Three Kiwifruit Cultivars

The responses of three kiwifruit cultivars, Actinidia chinensis ‘Sanuki Gold’, A. chinensis ‘Rainbow Red’, and A. deliciosa ‘Hayward’ to various storage temperatures (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20°C) for 8 weeks were investigated. The rate of fruit which initiated ethylene production due to rot development increased with increases in storage temperature. Early-maturing cultivars, ‘Rainbow Red’ and ‘Sanuki Gold’ fruit stored at 5, 10, and 15°C showed drastic softening and a decrease in titratable acidity (TA) to an edible level within 4 weeks without detectable ethylene production, whereas fruit stored at 0 and 20°C maintained high firmness and TA even after 8 weeks unless they were infected with rot. A late-maturing cultivar, ‘Hayward’ fruit stored at 5 and 10°C softened more rapidly than when stored at 0, 15, or 20°C. Treatment with 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) did not suppress the low temperature modulated fruit ripening in any cultivars, indicating its independence from ethylene. These results suggest that ‘Sanuki Gold’ and ‘Rainbow Red’ are more sensitive to low temperatures compared to ‘Hayward’ and the sensitivity is involved in the determination of storage life and how early the fruit matures on the vine.