Author:
Abdi N.,Holford P.,McGlasson W. B.
Abstract
Summary. Plums are highly perishable and once harvested
have a short commercial life. Hence, this crop would benefit from the
determination of conditions which permit extended storage. This study
investigates the effects of fruit maturity at harvest on the physical and
chemical characteristics of the plum cultivars, Radiant, Gulfruby and Shiro,
after periods of cool storage. Fruit from these cultivars were separated into
3 maturity categories according to either skin colour at harvest or time after
pit hardening. The storage disorders, internal breakdown and gel breakdown,
were measured after periods of storage at 0°C and subsequent ripening at
20°C. Skin colour, flesh firmness, concentration of soluble solids and
titratable acidity were measured at harvest and after ripening. Internal
breakdown and gel breakdown, symptoms of chilling injury, developed after 2
weeks cool storage in Gulfruby and Shiro and after 4 weeks in Radiant. These
symptoms were most severe in the oldest fruit. Significant differences were
also found in skin colour, firmness, soluble solids and acidity during
ripening and after cool storage. Fruit harvested at an earlier maturity
withstand cold storage better than more mature fruit. However, these less
mature fruit initially have a poorer quality than those which are more mature.
Therefore, it is important for the grower to be able to determine the precise
stage of crop development in order to allow harvesting at a time which is
optimal for the storage process.
Subject
General Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Cited by
32 articles.
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