Asst. Prof. Dr. Nuttachai Pongprasert, researcher at School of Bioresources and Technology, KMUTT has developed PROFRESH, an aerosol-spray of 1-MCP (methycyclopropelene) to delay ripening and senescence of fruits, vegetable and flowers. 1-MCP is a commercial compound extensively used for maintaining quality of cut flowers during storage and transport as well as delaying the ripening and senescence of fruit. Senescence in many plants is accelerated by the naturally occurring plant hormone ethylene. Because 1-MCP can interact irreversibly with ethylene fruit receptors thereby avoiding its physiological stimulus, it is widely used for exporting fruit and flowers as an ethylene-competitive inhibitor.
At present, 1-MCP is commercially available in various forms such as tablet, powder and sachets. To assist Thai exporters, KMUTT has thus developed a prototype, PROFRESH, a 1-MCP sprayer containing 1.5 liter of pressurized 1-MCP at a high concentration of 1900 ppm. Users can spray the compound up to 50 times to extend the shelf and vase life of fruits, vegetables and flowers, making it more convenient, easier and taking less time than a conventional application of fumigation. The invention has already been patented. For more information, please contact nutthachai.pon@kmutt.ac.th or Tel.no 0-2470-7734.