Title: Storage Temperature and Fruit Calcium Alter the Sequence of Ripening Events of `d'Anjou' Pears
Abstract:Pear trees ( Pyrus communis L.), cv. d'Anjou, received foliar applications of X-77 surfactant and 32.3 m m CaCl 2 at 55, 85, 125, and 137 days after full bloom (DAFB) and fruit were harvested at 147 D...Pear trees ( Pyrus communis L.), cv. d'Anjou, received foliar applications of X-77 surfactant and 32.3 m m CaCl 2 at 55, 85, 125, and 137 days after full bloom (DAFB) and fruit were harvested at 147 DAFB. Samples of fruit were stored in air either at 20 °C continuously or at 5 or 10 °C for several periods, then transferred to 20 °C, to determine the effects of storage temperature and CaCl 2 treatments on the development of the ethylene climacteric and flesh firmness loss. Control fruits held continuously at 20 °C required 70 days for the onset of climacteric ethylene production, which commenced when firmness had decreased to ≈20 N. Calcium-sprayed fruit required 80 days at 20 °C before the rise in ethylene and resisted softening for ≈50 days. Regardless of calcium treatment, pears stored at 5 or 10 °C required only 40 days to produce climacteric ethylene; fruit softening and internal ethylene concentration after storage at 10 °C were intermediate between those of fruits stored at 5 and 20 °C. Calcium application did not alter the sequence of ripening events.Read More