The effect of temperature on the Ethylene production rateand some quantitative and qualitative characteristics of Granny smith apples (Malus domestica Borkh., CV. Granny Smith)

In order to maintain and keep the quality and market acceptance of a fruit, it is necessary to preserve it in a cold storage. Granny smith apples are a variety of foreign apples which maintain their characteristics in storage. Ethylene is simple gas hydro – carbon with the formula C2H4 which considered as an essential herbal hormone in after harvest matters. In Some physiological forms such as fruit ripening, flower senescence and tensions like Flooding, frost and dryness, Ethylene produced more. The active material for producing Ethylene is the sulfuric amino- acid of methionin. In order to assess the effects of low temperatures on the storage life increase of Granny smith apples, a completely randomized design (CRD) research was performed considering the variables of temperature and time of storage in two different treatments. The quantitative and qualitative characteristics in this research were Ethylene production, firmness, titratable acidity (TA), total solid soluble (TSS), vitamin C and the PH in two different temperature levels of +3.5 and – 0.5oC at the beginning, at the end and during 4 month storage period were measured. Measuring the Ethylene level was done by GC. The results indicated that with increase the rate of ethylene production,the soluble solids content increased continuosly during storage and titratable acidity decreased during storage.