After a sudden loss, work continues

摘要

Storing d'Anjou pears presents packers with a Catch-22: use 1-MCP to prevent superficial scald and extend the storage season and risk the fruit losing its ability to ripen; skip it and the window for quality fruit shrinks."With Anjous, we have this seemingly intractable problem with superficial scald," said Steve Castagnoli, director of the Oregon State University Mid-Columbia Agriculture Research and Extension Center, where pear postharvest science is a program priority.Recent research shows that 1-MCP (1-methylcyclopropene) boosts the benefits of the standard scald-prevention practice, the antioxidant ethoxyquin, and could also be used as an alternative, if there is a reliable way to ensure ripening. Therein lies thechallenge many postharvest researchers are trying to solve, Castagnoli said.