Effect of essential oils and linalool on berry quality during simulated marketing of 'Shine Muscat' grapes

'Shine Muscat' (Vitis labruscana Bailey x Vitis vinifera L.) grapes recently have been greatly favored in Korea, and as of 2022, account for 38.6% of the total grape market in Korea. However, there is a lack of research on post-harvest quality control appropriate to the unique characteristics of 'Shine Muscat'. In order to continuously increase domestic demand and exports in the future, it is essential to establish proper postharvest techniques. Essential oils have remarkable potential as biologically active and environmentally friendly antiseptics for the fruit industry. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of essential oils and aroma constituent treatment on fruit quality attributes of 'Shine Muscat' grapes in order to extend fruit quality during a simulated export period. A cluster of 'Shine Muscat' grapes was placed in a newly developed paper box container, and treated with rosemary essential oil, thyme essential oil, and linalool, along with an untreated control. The results showed no significant effect on fruit quality indices, such as cluster weight loss, berry firmness, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, sugar acid ratio, and color change, but showed a positive effect on the alleviation of berry shatter compared to the untreated control. In addition, rosemary oil treatment reduced the proportion of unhealthy berries. Therefore, the results indicated that the newly developed packaging container along with certain essential oil treatment could be applied as a promising packaging material for table grape export.