ARS | Publication request: The use of low dose UV-C light technology to control postharvest storage decay and delayed ripening and senescence of fruits and vegetables

Submitted to: Recent Advances in Postharvest Technologies of Horticultural Crops
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: March 20, 2006
Publication Date: June 19, 2006
Citation: Stevens, C., Khan, V.A., Wilson, C.L., Lu, J.Y., Pusey, P.L., Bassett, C.L., Igwegbe, E., Wisniewski, M.E., Chalutz, E., Droby, S., El Ghaouth, A. 2006. The use of low dose UV-C light technology to control postharvest storage decay and delayed ripening and senescence of fruits and vegetables. In: Noureddine, B. and Norio, S., editors. Recent Advances in Postharvest Technologies of Horticultural Crops. Chapter 9. Kerala, India: Research Signpost. p. 195-237.

Technical Abstract: Alternatives for the control of postharvest diseases are actively being sought to reduce health and safety risks associated with conventional pesticides. One effective alternative is the use of UV-C light treatment to induce resistance to storage decay organisms. Observations using a variety of fruit and vegetables suggest that the mechanism of the UV-C effect is associated with a delay in ripening and senescence. Most studies indicate that there is a very narrow window of effective treatment. As a result, there has been increased interest in understanding the physiological and molecular biological parameters linked to the treatment. If the window can be expanded, the efficacy of the treatment could be enhanced. The book describes the historic research behind the observation and discusses the latest research in laboratories around the world. Current theories debating the mechanism(s) of the UV-C effect on fruit are discussed.