Abstract
This work evaluated red kiwifruit plants' spray treatment with cis-3-hexenyl butyrate (HB) as an inductor of some metabolic mechanisms related to fruit ripening, including an increase in anthocyanin content and the red hue color parameter. Considering their key role as ripening parameters for postharvest fruit quality and sorting assessment, the soluble solid content (SSC) and the flesh firmness penetrometer (FFP) were also measured. Treated plants received an application of 50 mM HB, administered exactly 2 and 4 weeks before the commercial harvest. At harvest time and during postharvest fruit ripening, near-infrared (NIR) spectral acquisitions were performed in order to check the feasibility of a rapid and non-destructive prediction of fruit anthocyanin content and SSC, coupled to destructive measurements and chemometric modelling. Regarding technological and chemical results, HB treatment indicates an optimum overall qualitative storage at 30 days. The fruit from treated plants is characterized by good quality parameters, including higher SSC, enhanced red hue (a* value) and increased anthocyanin content, despite similar weight loss to the untreated fruit. The obtained chemometric results underscore the promise and feasibility of NIRs in terms of detecting and estimating anthocyanin content and SSC in red kiwifruit, in order to pursue an evident perspective of improvement.