Ethylene during controlled atmosphere transport of fruits and flowers: concentrations, causes and consequences
Abstract Ethylene is a volatile organic compound and a plant hormone, accelerating ripening and senescence (aging) of fruits and flowers. Apart from its intended use in the ripening facilities of tropical fruit, its presence is usually unwanted. Little has been published on the actual ethylene level...
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CABI
2025-08-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Horticultural Science |
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| Online Access: | http://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/ejhs.2025.0015 |
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| author | Leo Lukasse Marcel Staal Rob Schouten Taylor Person Fátima Pereira da Silva |
| author_facet | Leo Lukasse Marcel Staal Rob Schouten Taylor Person Fátima Pereira da Silva |
| author_sort | Leo Lukasse |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Ethylene is a volatile organic compound and a plant hormone, accelerating ripening and senescence (aging) of fruits and flowers. Apart from its intended use in the ripening facilities of tropical fruit, its presence is usually unwanted. Little has been published on the actual ethylene levels occurring during commercial transport. Ethylene levels in the air were recorded in 14 intercontinental controlled atmosphere (CA) reefer container shipments of avocado, cut rose and banana, applying two types of ethylene filters (KMnO4-based filter tubes and filter sachets). Also, during two long-distance road transports of strawberries in unvented semi-trailers, the ethylene levels were recorded. Ethylene levels during transport were recorded using dedicated battery-powered air samplers developed by Wageningen University & Research. We analysed the effects of the filters and the CA technology (active or passive CA) on ethylene levels during transport. In all avocado shipments, the recorded ethylene was higher than 0.1 μl l-1 during part of the trip. In all shipments with cut roses and green bananas, ethylene stayed below 0.1 μl l-1. Active CA seems to yield lower ethylene concentrations due to its continuous flushing of the container atmosphere. Elevated ethylene levels were often observed during the first days of transport. Two avocado shipments stood out with ethylene concentrations larger than 3 μl l-1 during the first days, coinciding with a high percentage of ripened fruits at arrival. It is concluded that ethylene filters showed minimal observed impact on the ethylene levels during CA transport. Another conclusion is that a high ethylene level during the first days of CA transport is likely an early, non-destructive indicator of early ripening. When measured, it can help limit food losses, especially of tropical fruit. Significance of the study What is already known on this subject? A lot is already known on the effect of ethylene on fruits and flowers. Numerous papers have been published on this subject. Studies on the effectiveness of KMnO4-based ethylene scavengers are available, though scarcely. What are the new findings? The study brings multiple new findings. In 16 commercial long-distance transports of avocados, bananas, strawberries and cut roses, ethylene mostly ranged between 0.02 and 3.2 μl l-1, with the highest concentration usually occurring during the first days of transport. The routinely used KMnO4-based ethylene scavengers cause no observable reduction in the ethylene concentration during controlled atmosphere (CA) transport. There is a strong indication that active CA causes lower ethylene concentrations than passive CA. There is no visible consequence of the observed variation in ethylene concentration for the arrival quality of roses, bananas and strawberries. Two avocado shipments stood out with ethylene concentrations above 3 μl l-1 during the first days. Exactly these two shipments arrived with a high percentage of ripened fruits. Hence, a high ethylene level during the first days of CA transport may serve as an early and non-destructive indicator of early ripening. What is the expected impact on horticulture? The expected impact on horticulture is, firstly, the adoption of more effective ethylene removal methods: active CA instead of KMnO4-based ethylene scavengers. The second expected impact is the further exploration of the occurrence of distinctly elevated ethylene levels during the first days in some avocado shipments: how to exploit this as an early-warning signal for ripening, what causes it, and how can it be avoided? |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b6da906f0d6f4a3fa7d7f9dcde30645c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1611-4426 1611-4434 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | CABI |
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| series | European Journal of Horticultural Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-b6da906f0d6f4a3fa7d7f9dcde30645c2025-08-20T03:36:34ZengCABIEuropean Journal of Horticultural Science1611-44261611-44342025-08-0190110.1079/ejhs.2025.0015Ethylene during controlled atmosphere transport of fruits and flowers: concentrations, causes and consequencesLeo Lukasse0Marcel Staal1Rob Schouten2Taylor Person3Fátima Pereira da Silva4Wageningen University & Research Wageningen, The NetherlandsWageningen University & Research Wageningen, The NetherlandsWageningen University & Research Wageningen, The NetherlandsWageningen University & Research Wageningen, The NetherlandsWageningen University & Research Wageningen, The NetherlandsAbstract Ethylene is a volatile organic compound and a plant hormone, accelerating ripening and senescence (aging) of fruits and flowers. Apart from its intended use in the ripening facilities of tropical fruit, its presence is usually unwanted. Little has been published on the actual ethylene levels occurring during commercial transport. Ethylene levels in the air were recorded in 14 intercontinental controlled atmosphere (CA) reefer container shipments of avocado, cut rose and banana, applying two types of ethylene filters (KMnO4-based filter tubes and filter sachets). Also, during two long-distance road transports of strawberries in unvented semi-trailers, the ethylene levels were recorded. Ethylene levels during transport were recorded using dedicated battery-powered air samplers developed by Wageningen University & Research. We analysed the effects of the filters and the CA technology (active or passive CA) on ethylene levels during transport. In all avocado shipments, the recorded ethylene was higher than 0.1 μl l-1 during part of the trip. In all shipments with cut roses and green bananas, ethylene stayed below 0.1 μl l-1. Active CA seems to yield lower ethylene concentrations due to its continuous flushing of the container atmosphere. Elevated ethylene levels were often observed during the first days of transport. Two avocado shipments stood out with ethylene concentrations larger than 3 μl l-1 during the first days, coinciding with a high percentage of ripened fruits at arrival. It is concluded that ethylene filters showed minimal observed impact on the ethylene levels during CA transport. Another conclusion is that a high ethylene level during the first days of CA transport is likely an early, non-destructive indicator of early ripening. When measured, it can help limit food losses, especially of tropical fruit. Significance of the study What is already known on this subject? A lot is already known on the effect of ethylene on fruits and flowers. Numerous papers have been published on this subject. Studies on the effectiveness of KMnO4-based ethylene scavengers are available, though scarcely. What are the new findings? The study brings multiple new findings. In 16 commercial long-distance transports of avocados, bananas, strawberries and cut roses, ethylene mostly ranged between 0.02 and 3.2 μl l-1, with the highest concentration usually occurring during the first days of transport. The routinely used KMnO4-based ethylene scavengers cause no observable reduction in the ethylene concentration during controlled atmosphere (CA) transport. There is a strong indication that active CA causes lower ethylene concentrations than passive CA. There is no visible consequence of the observed variation in ethylene concentration for the arrival quality of roses, bananas and strawberries. Two avocado shipments stood out with ethylene concentrations above 3 μl l-1 during the first days. Exactly these two shipments arrived with a high percentage of ripened fruits. Hence, a high ethylene level during the first days of CA transport may serve as an early and non-destructive indicator of early ripening. What is the expected impact on horticulture? The expected impact on horticulture is, firstly, the adoption of more effective ethylene removal methods: active CA instead of KMnO4-based ethylene scavengers. The second expected impact is the further exploration of the occurrence of distinctly elevated ethylene levels during the first days in some avocado shipments: how to exploit this as an early-warning signal for ripening, what causes it, and how can it be avoided?http://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/ejhs.2025.0015measuremonitoravocadobananastrawberryrose |
| spellingShingle | Leo Lukasse Marcel Staal Rob Schouten Taylor Person Fátima Pereira da Silva Ethylene during controlled atmosphere transport of fruits and flowers: concentrations, causes and consequences European Journal of Horticultural Science measure monitor avocado banana strawberry rose |
| title | Ethylene during controlled atmosphere transport of fruits and flowers: concentrations, causes and consequences |
| title_full | Ethylene during controlled atmosphere transport of fruits and flowers: concentrations, causes and consequences |
| title_fullStr | Ethylene during controlled atmosphere transport of fruits and flowers: concentrations, causes and consequences |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ethylene during controlled atmosphere transport of fruits and flowers: concentrations, causes and consequences |
| title_short | Ethylene during controlled atmosphere transport of fruits and flowers: concentrations, causes and consequences |
| title_sort | ethylene during controlled atmosphere transport of fruits and flowers concentrations causes and consequences |
| topic | measure monitor avocado banana strawberry rose |
| url | http://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/ejhs.2025.0015 |
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