F. Ghahramani et al., A comparison of the effects of ethanol and higher alcohols for the controlof superficial scald in apples, J HORT SCI, 74(1), 1999, pp. 87-93
Six alcohols (2-10 carbons) were packed with 'Granny Smith' apples in seale
d polyethylene bags (50 mu m thickness) and stored at 0 degrees C. The rate
s of application were 0, 0.04, 0.08 and 0.16 mol kg(-1) of fruit in year 1
and 0, 0.0075, 0.015 and 0.03 mol kg(-1) in year 2. Although the bags were
found to be permeable to the alcohols, sufficient remained in the bags to h
ave marked effects on the fruit. All alcohols reduced the incidence of supe
rficial scald. Good control of scald was achieved with ethanol at 0.03 mol
kg(-1) and higher rates. Lower application rates were effective with propan
-1-ol, butan-1-ol and pentan-1-ol. alpha-Terpineol (10 carbons) was least e
ffective. Ethanol produced no undesirable side effect but some of the other
alcohols induced flesh browning at higher application rates. Ethanol, prop
an-1-ol, butan-1-ol and hexan-1-ol were compared for their effects on accum
ulation of alpha-farnesene and conjugated trienes. All alcohols reduced the
concentration of alpha-farnesene and conjugated trienes at the end of stor
age. The concentrations of these two products fell as application rates of
alcohols were increased.