Effect of controlled atmospheres on maintaining quality of persimmon fruit cv. "Rojo Brillante"

Astringent "Rojo Brillante" persimmon fruits were stored in air or in 2 different controlled atmospheres: 10% CO(2)+ 90% N(2) (CA1) or 97 % N(2)+ air (CA2) for up 50 d at 15 degrees C. After different periods, the fruit were treated with 95% CO(2) for 24 h at 20 degrees C in order to remove astringency, and then transferred to 20 degrees C in air free of CO(2) for 5 d to simulate shelf life. Other fruits were directly transferred to shelf life without being submitted to deastringency treatment. Storage under CA2 allowed storability of persimmon "Rojo Brillante" during 30 d at 15 degrees C, maintaining commercial firmness. Moreover, CA2 had an effect on removing astringency when fruits were stored for 30 d at 15 degrees C, or after 20 d following to shelf life. As consequence, deastringency treatment could be avoided when the fruits were previously stored under this controlled atmosphere.