Ripening behaviour, postharvest quality, and physiological disorders of coated pears (Pyrus communis).
Amarante, C. and Banks, N. H.
New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, Volume 30, Number 1, 2002. pp. 49-59.
2002
บทคัดย่อ
Pear (Pyrus communis) cultivars Bartlett, Bosc, Comice, and Packham's were treated at harvest or after cold storage with a carnauba-based wax emulsion at concentrations of 0, 5, 10, 20, 40, and 100% (v/v) of the commercial formulation. Fruits coated at harvest were assessed for internal partial pressure of O2 and CO2, ripening, physiological disorders, and sensory attributes when held at 20 deg C and 60-70% relative humidity after achieving the chilling requirement to ripen, whereas fruit coated after cold storage were only assessed for physiological disorders. With the exception of Bosc, increasing the coating concentration improved the finish of the skin. Only Bosc developed off-flavours when treated with the undiluted coating. Increasing coating concentration reduced fruit internal partial pressure of O2, suppressed ripening and reduced the incidence of senescent breakdown. Comice pears treated at harvest with more than or equal to 40% coating concentration and cold stored for 6 months had delayed ripening, no senescent scald and no internal disorders after a 7-day shelf-life period. Bartlett and Bosc treated at harvest with coating concentrations >10% and >40%, respectively, developed an internal disorder possibly associated with excessive internal atmosphere modification during 0 deg C storage. They did not develop the disorder when treated after cold storage. These findings show that response differences related to cultivar and storage temperature after coating must be taken into account in the optimization of surface coatings for pears. Also, a given surface coating treatment may impair postharvest quality because treated pears may soften without changing colour.