The impact of 1-MCP treatment combined with polyethylene film bag packaging on the quality of ‘Shannong Su’ pears during storage

Postharvest loss constitutes a critical issue during the storage period of pears. Based on previous studies, both 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) can delay fruit senescence and softening. To investigate whether the combination of these treatments achieves a superior storage effect, 'Shannong Su' pears were treated with 1 μL/L 1-MCP for 24 h, then packaged in sealed or perforated film bags or left unpackaged, and stored at 4.00 ± 0.50 °C for 120 days. Firmness, ethylene release, quality indicators, gene expression, and metabolite profiles were analyzed. Results showed that 1-MCP inhibited ethylene production and the expression of <i>PbACS1/2</i> and <i>PbACO1</i>. The combined treatment (1-MCP + sealed film bag) achieved the lowest expression levels of nine key cell wall-degrading enzyme genes (<i>PbXTH1/28</i>, <i>PbPL8/18</i>, <i>PbCGR3</i>, <i>PbPG</i>, <i>Pbα/β-GAL</i>, <i>Pbβ-GLU</i>) and maintained higher firmness, antioxidant capacity, total sugar, protopectin, and cellulose content. Metabolomic analysis revealed that 1-MCP treatment altered the biosynthesis of plant secondary metabolites and fatty acids, suggesting it may influence the anabolic metabolism of defensive compounds and lipids in plants. Film bag packaging affected antioxidant stress responses, nitrogen metabolism, specific amino acid derivative metabolism, and cofactor biosynthesis, indicating that sealed film packaging may induce oxidative stress responses and activate specific defensive or protective metabolic pathways. In conclusion, the combined treatment preserves pear quality through synergistic inhibition of ethylene synthesis, suppression of cell wall-degrading genes, and modulation of metabolic pathways. This cost-effective method can reduce postharvest losses in 'Shannong Su' pears and guide the storage of other similar climacteric fruits.