Ethanol vapour treatment alleviates postharvest decay and maintains fruit quality in Chinese bayberry

The effect of ethanol vapour treatment on controlling fruit decay was studied on Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra Sieb. & Zucc.) stored at different temperatures over two seasons. Ethanol vapour at a concentration of 1000 mu L/L, generated from pre-saturated filter paper sheets using either a 10 mL/L ethanol stock solution at 20 degrees C or a 40 mL/L ethanol stock solution at 0 degrees C, proved to be the most effective for controlling postharvest decay of bayberry fruit. The ethanol treatment reduced the decay rate of fruit from 28.7 to 15.8% after 3 days storage at 20 degrees C and from 27.8 to 16.6% after 5 days storage at 0 degrees C and 1 day shelf-life at 20 degrees C. The ethanol treatment did not have any deleterious effects on fruit quality, but resulted in an increase in the accumulation of anthocyanins in the fruit. (C) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.