Long-Term Storage of Peaches and Nectarines Intermittently Warmed during Controlled-Atmosphere Storage1

Abstract

Peaches and nectarines [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] ripened at 18° to 20°C after storage in air for 9 weeks at 0° developed severe internal breakdown and were of very poor quality. Comparable fruit intermittently warmed (IW) for 2 days in air at 18° to 20° during storage at 0° in CA (1% O₂ + 5% CO₂) and then ripened generally had little breakdown and retained good quality for about 20 weeks. Less mature fruit (6.8 kg at harvest) were more acid after storage than were more mature fruit (5.5 kg at harvest). Fruit dipped in benomyl at each IW treatment had no less decay than those dipped only before storage but they had a better internal appearance and were more acid. Fruit stored in CA after 2 weeks delay in 0° air generally were poorer in quality than those stored in CA within 2 or 3 days of harvest.