Resumen
This study aimed to investigate the influence of 1 - methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on the substances involved in the softening of strawberry, cultivar Oso Grande, stored at room temperature, from the municipality of Itutinga, State of Minas Gerais. The parameters evaluated were: firmness, total pectin, percentage of solubilization, activities of the enzymes pectinmethylesterase (PME) (EC 3.1.1.11) and polygalacturonase (PG) (EC 3.2.1.15). It was concluded that 1-MCP delayed the softening of the fruits, since the fruits that were treated with 1-MCP after storage, have shown greater firmness, lower activities of PG and PME, and lower contents of total pectin, soluble pectin and percentage of solubilization.