Effect of temperature, 1-methylcyclopropene, and modified atmosphere packaging on the post-harvest behavior of lulo (Solanum quitoense Lam)

•Cold storage at 5 °C was favorable for decreasing lulo deterioration.•Lulo treated with 0.70 μL L−1 1-MCP (15 min immersion) increased its shel life.•MAP and 1-MCP at 5 °C resulted in lulo preservation for more than 5 weeks.•1-MCP and MAP allow fruit preservation for more than 3 weeks at 23 °C. Lulo (Solanum quitoense Lam) is a tropical fruit with high market potential but short shelf life. In this work, the effect of temperature, the application of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), and the use of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) were evaluated on the preservation of fresh lulo fruits. Three independent experiments were made sequentially: in the first one, an adequate refrigeration temperature was established (between 5 and 18 °C), then in the second experiment, a suitable dose and application time of 1-MCP (0.35–1.0 μL L−1 and 10–15 min) were found and finally, the combined effect of refrigeration, 1-MCP, and MAP were determined in the last experiment. In the experiments with 1-MCP and MAP, some fruits were stored at refrigeration (5 °C) and then at room temperature (23 °C) while others were kept at room temperature the whole test. Different properties such as respiration, ethylene production, color index, and gas level were evaluated in the samples to determine post-harvest changes. Given the fruit behavior during cold storage, 5 °C proved to be more favorable for preservation. Likewise, samples treated with 0.70 μL L−1 1-MCP + 15 min immersion showed lower CO2 and ethylene production throughout cold storage and shelf time compared with other 1-MCP treatments. For the tests with MAP, the combined treatment with 1-MCP and at 5 °C resulted in a lower respiratory rate, ethylene production, and physicochemical changes during the evaluation (24 days of cold storage + 16 days of shelf time). The results obtained can contribute to increasing the possibilities of lulo commercialization and marketing.