Location: Tropical Crop and Commodity Protection Research
Title: Postharvest quality of kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) after x-ray irradiation quarantine treatmentAuthor
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Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 6/30/2023 Publication Date: 8/18/2023 Citation: Sun, X.N., Follett, P.A., Postler, M.L., Wall, M.M. 2023. Postharvest quality of kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) after x-ray irradiation quarantine treatment. HortScience. 58(9):1045-1048. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI17284-23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI17284-23 Interpretive Summary: Irradiation is a phytosanitary treatment that is tolerated by most fruits and vegetables. Although kiwifruit is currently relatively pest-free and exported without quarantine treatment, the arrival of new quarantine pests such as fruit flies is a significant issue for New Zealand and other countries because of potential disruption to trade. Kiwifruit injury must be absent or minimal before irradiation treatment can be used commercially. There are no published reports of kiwifruit radiotolerance limits.Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine the quality of kiwifruit exposed to irradiation doses = 800 Gy. Technical Abstract: The quality of two kiwifruit varieties (Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa, ‘Hayward’ [green-fleshed], and Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis, ‘Zesy002’ [gold-fleshed]) was determined following x-ray irradiation for disinfestation of quarantine pests. Fruit were treated with irradiation doses of 0, 200, 400, 600, or 800 Gy and stored for 14 days at 2 °C. Irradiation did not affect soluble solids content, respiration rate and taste. Minimal softening occurred to ‘Zesy002’ treated with irradiation doses of 400 or 800 Gy. No visible radiation injury, scald or discoloration was observed. Irradiation treatment of kiwifruit at doses = 800 Gy would ensure visual, compositional, and sensory quality while providing quarantine security. |
