Project Number: 6621-43000-001-02
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Aug 02, 2006
End Date: Nov 30, 2008

Objective:
1) To develop and test coatings and postharvest treatments to minimize water loss, senescence and browning from the fruit and or the stem, and yet maintain fruit flavor and attractiveness. 2) To understand relationship between fruit and stem (source and sink) after harvest by using cherry as a model.

Approach:
Natural compounds, including plant growth regulators such as gibberellic acid or 1-methylcyclopropene, antioxidants, and minerals will be tested on cherry and pear fruit. Relationship between source and sink in the fruit will be studied by applying coatings with low vapor permeability to the stem only. The impact on fruit quality will be measured. Quality measurements include, but not exclusively, color, weight loss, stem pull force, sugars, acids, volatiles, firmness, microbial stability.