Control of ripening and senescence in pre-harvest and post-harvest plants and plant materials by manipulating alternative oxidase activity

A method of storing and subsequently maturing a fruit, the method comprising

• exposing said fruit to 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) to arrest maturation of said fruit;
• and, subsequently,
• exposing said fruit to an agent selected from the group consisting of:
• 0.01 mM to 0.25 mM hydroxypyruvate, and
• 0.04 mM to 10 mM of a mixture of alanine and 2-oxoglutarate;
• wherein the exposing results in maturation of said fruit as evidenced by a decrease in flesh firmness, an increase in Brix, an increase in ethylene evolution, and/or an increase in CO2 evolution of the fruit exposed to the agent as compared to a control fruit of the same species in the absence of the agent.

A method of overcoming blockage in ripening or senescence of a fruit or fruit product, the method comprising:

• exposing said fruit or fruit product that has previously been exposed to 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) to an agent selected from the group consisting of:
• 0.01 mM to 0.25 mM hydroxypyruvate, and
• 0.04 mM to 10 mM of a mixture of alanine and 2-oxoglutarate;
• wherein the exposing results in maturation of said fruit or fruit product as evidenced by decrease in flesh firmness, an increase in Brix, an increase in ethylene evolution, and/or an increase in CO2 evolution of the fruit exposed to the agent as compared to a control fruit of the same species in the absence of the agent.