Postharvest quality and softening of “Fuji” apple from different production areas

Studies on the postharvest quality and softening of “Fuji” apple from Xinji, Shunping, and Pingshan of Hebei Province were conducted. Compared with apples from Shunping and Pingshan, fruits produced in Xinji presents lower rigidity, with a rapid increase in water-soluble pectin content and higher activity of b-galactosidase during 84 days of storage. Apples produced in Xinji exhibit earlier senescence and softening. However, apples produced in Shunping soften and age comparatively slower due to gradual loss of rigidity, tardy increase in soluble substance content, water-soluble pectin content and much lower β-galactosidase activity. After 126 days of storage, rigidity of apples produced in Pingshan markedly declines, water-soluble pectin content increases more rapidly, and β-galactosidase activity markedly heightens than those from the other two regions, though higher than those from Shunping and lower than those from Xinji prior to 126 days of storage.