Abstract: In an attempt to clarify the effect of electron beam treatment on the storage quality of kiwifruit, four varieties of kiwifruit (‘Hayward’ ‘Xuxiang’ ‘Huayou’ ‘Yate’) were treated with high-energy electron beam at at doses of 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 kGy, and stored at 0–1 ℃ and relative humidity of 90%–95%. Samples were taken every 15 days to determine the effect of electron beam treatment on fruit firmness, mass loss rate, soluble solids content, titratable acid content, vitamin C (VC) content during cold storage. The results showed that electron beam irradiation treatment had a positive effect on maintaining the storage quality of kiwifruit. The appropriate dose of electron beam irradiation inhibited the mass loss of kiwifruit during storage, delayed the decrease of titratable acid content, and increased the content of flavonoids. The content of polyphenols was increased at the early stage of storage. The irradiation treatment decreased fruit firmness and VC content but increased the content of soluble solids. Electron beam irradiation at 0.8 kGy was more effective in delaying the increase of soluble solids content and the decrease of titratable acid content, and increasing the contents of polyphenols and flavonoids. Overall, among the tested varieties, ‘Hayward’ and ‘Yate’ kiwifruits were more tolerant to electron beam irradiation, and the doses of 0.4 and 0.8 kGy provided better quality preservation of ‘Hayward’ and ‘Yate’ kiwifruit during postharvest storage. Therefore, the appropriate dose of electron beam irradiation can be used as an effective means to improve the quality preservation of kiwifruit.

Key words: electron beam; irradiation; kiwifruit; variety; storage quality