Development of Tahiti acid lime ethylene inhibitors as an alternative to the use of 1-methylcyclopropene

• Grant number: 19/16412-2
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Duration: October 01, 2020 - June 30, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Ana Carolina Nazaré
• Grantee: Ana Carolina Nazaré
• Host Company: Nazaré & Petrônio Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Experimental em Ciências Físicas e Naturais Ltda
• CNAE: Atividades de pós-colheita
• City: Araraquara
• Associated researchers: Marcia Perez dos Santos Cabrera
• Associated scholarship(s): 20/14984-6 - Development of Tahiti acid lime ethylene inhibitors as an alternative to the use of 1-methylcyclopropene, BP.PIPE

Abstract

The production and export of 'Tahiti' lime (Citrus latifólia Tanaka) in Brazil is constantly growing, generating relevant revenues for our country's economy. Among the buyer countries, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom stand out, seeking high quality of the fruits, making the export market challenging. The logistics of moving the fruits is an obstacle to marketing efficiency, due to the delay in loading the ports, followed by low capacity and slow transportation between Brazil and the buyer country. The yellowing of the peel and the reduction of the acid file's turgency occurs during transport, reducing consumer acceptance, causing partial or total loss of fruits and causing significant financial losses. As a result, the search for ethylene-inhibiting molecules that act as a physical oxygen barrier has been mobilizing the scientific community and large companies in the agrochemical sector. Currently, there are few efficient alternatives for inhibiting ethylene, with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP, "SmartFresh") being one of the products licensed for this purpose. Biodegradable natural polymers have the necessary characteristics for the formulation of a new product and can thus become, in direct competition with SmartFresh "in this market, with additional contributions related to its fungicidal action. It is expected that the new compound has greater efficiency than" SmartFresh", combined with the preservation of the physiological integrity of the 'Tahiti' lime and low cytotoxicity, and also using the potential of chitosan as an edible coating. (AU)