PRESTORAGE HEAT TREATMENTS OF AVOCADOS

Abstract Holding avocado fruits for various periods of time at temperatures between 37 to 46ºC, slowed the rate of fruit softening, decreased the climacteric respiratory peak and delayed the ethylene peak. Some of the time-temperature combinations decreased the severity of chilling injury after storage at 2ºC for 6 weeks. Activity of cellulase was lower in heat treated fruit in correlation with their slower rate of softening. In addition, when heated avocados were inocultaed with Colletotrichum gloeosporioides the infection developed more slowly than on unheated fruit. The treatments led in some cases to heat injury, and additional work is needed to be sure of achieving the benefit of the treatment without injury