TEMPERATURE MANIPULATION IMPROVES POSTHARVEST QUALITY OF A MID-SEASON PEACH

Mid-season peach (Primus persica (L.) Batsch cv Majestic) fruit of five maturity stages, from red suture to red, full soft, were subjected to warming treatments before and during storage at 5C. Intermittent warming and delayed storage accelerated softening in red suture, half and full red hard fruit. The treatment effect was greater with less mature fruit. Treatment had no effect on soluble solids concentration, total phenolics, or titratable acidity.‘Majestic’ peaches could be held at 5C up to four weeks if harvested at the half red or full red hard stage and held at room temperature for 24 h before storage.