ISHS Acta Horticulturae 379: International Symposium on Quality of Fruit and Vegetables: Influence of Pre- and Post- Harvest Factors and Technology
EFFECT OF IRRIGATION ON STORAGE CAPABILITY OF 'ROCHA' PEAR |
| Authors: | M. Laura Cabral, M. Graça Barreiro, J. Franco |
| Abstract:
Portuguese 'Rocha' pear is the main pear cultivated in Portugal and has already been well accepted in countries like Canada, Brazil and France. This variety of pear has very good storage capacity which allows it to compete with varieties from other origins. Knowing that, nowadays, one of the aspects to consider in any market, either national or international, is to obtain fruits with minimum commercial calibre, it was the aim of this experiment to study the use of irrigation and its implication on fruit size and quality. The behaviour of fruits coming from an irrigated orchard was compared to that of fruits coming from a non-irrigated orchard, before harvest, during the period of cold storage and during the subsequent period of complementary maturation (20°C). Before harvest, growth of fruits in the orchard (non-detached fruits) was examined and weekly measurements of weight, size, firmness, refractometric index (RI) and titratable acidity of fruits detached for the effect were performed. After harvest, fruits were kept in cold chambers (0°C, 85% R.H.) and periodically samples of fruits from both orchards were removed from storage and submitted to the observations already mentioned, as well as to organoleptic evaluations. When removed from the cold chambers some fruits were measured as to the production of carbon dioxide and ethylene. Practically all the parameters measured had always higher values in the non-irrigated fruits (RI, acidity, sugars, firmness) except for the weight (calibre) which was significantly superior in the case of the irrigated fruits. Climacteric rise occurred at the same time for both treatments. The difference found did not correspond to a better quality linked to the irrigation. It is assumed that although a better size was obtained some alterations in the method of irrigation (quantity of water, different distribution in time) could result in a better size of fruits but also in better quality. | |
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