New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts
Effect of preharvest bagging on fruit quality and postharvest physiology of pears (Pyrus communis)
Cassandro Amarante1
Nigel H. Banks2
Shane Max3
Centre for Postharvest and Refrigeration Research
Institute for Food, Nutrition and Human Health
Massey University
Private Bag 11 222
Palmerston North, New Zealand
1Present address: Centre of Agricultural, Horticultural and Veterinary Sciences, Santa Catarina State University, C. Postal 281, CEP 88502-970, Lages, SC, Brazil. email: amarante@cav.udesc.br
2Present address: Kiwifruit New Zealand Research Limited, P.O. Box 4043, Mt Maunganui South, New Zealand. email: banksn@kiwi.co.nz
3Present address: Colorado State University, Western Colorado Research Center, 3168 B 1Ú2 Road, Grand Junction, Colorado 81503 9621, United States. email: shane.max@colostate.edu
Abstract Preharvest bagging of pear fruit (Pyrus communis L. ‘Doyenne du Comice’) with micro-perforated polyethylene bags c. 30 days after full bloom did not affect fruit size and weight, density, maturity, and flesh content of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg. Bagged fruit had a greener and lighter skin colour than non-bagged fruit, whereas the development of blush on the sunny side was not different between treatments. Bagged fruit had less cuticle deposition, whereas the wax content of the cuticle was not different between treatments. Fruit skin permeance to water (P’H2O) and fruit weight loss were not different between treatments. Permeance to CO2 (P’CO2) and O2 (P’CO2) were lower for bagged than for non-bagged fruit. Accordingly, internal partial pressure of O2 (piO2) was lower and internal partial pressure of CO2 (piCO2) was higher for bagged than for non-bagged fruit. However, these differences in fruit internal atmosphere between treatments were not large enough to result in significant differences in rates of skin background colour change and respiration during shelf life after 8 weeks in cold storage. With prolonged cold storage the differences between treatments in fruit skin background colour were reduced (bagged fruit de-greened more than non-bagged fruit) while the differences in firmness were increased (bagged fruit had more substantial softening than non-bagged fruit). Fruit bagging did not affect the incidence of senescent scald, senescent breakdown, and diseases after 6 months in cold storage followed by 7 days of shelf life.
Keywords Pyrus communis; gas exchange; cuticle; skin permeance; ripening; respiration; skin colour; firmness; disorders; decay
H02008 Received 18 January 2002; accepted 12 April 2002
New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 2002, Vol. 30: 99–107
0014–0671/02/3002–0099 $7.00 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2002
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