Chilling injury in local and modern peach cultivars from a Spanish peach bank germplasm

Peaches and nectarines are climacteric fruits with a relatively short storage potential due to rapid ripening and deterioration. Cold storage is effective in extending shelf-life, and preserving fruit quality properties; however, it can lead to the development of a disorder known as chilling injury (CI), perceived when fruit reaches consumer. In the present work, 51 local Spanish and 57 non-Spanish cultivars from the peach germplasm collection established at the Experimental Station of Aula Dei (Zaragoza, Spain) were evaluated after storage of fruit at 5 degrees C (CI inducing conditions) for 2 and 4 weeks. Given the large influence of pre-harvest factors on post-harvest performance of peaches, harvest and postharvest phenotype information was obtained. Basic fruit quality parameters as soluble solids content (SSC), firmness (N), titratable acidity (TA), and ripening index (SSC/TA) were determined. Biochemical compounds such as total phenolics content (TPC) and anthocyanins content (AC) were also obtained. In addition, the enzymatic activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) was determined to study its correlation with CI symptoms. Statistical analyses emphasized differences between the assayed cultivars and highlighted their origin as a key factor affecting metabolite profiles and susceptibility to chilling injury during cold storage.