The effect of cooling rate and harvest date on the storage behaviour of ‘Conference’ pears

Summary‘Conference’ pears were picked at weekly intervals and subjected to a range of cooling rates before storage in air at –1°C. Considerable seasonal variation in the rate of softening during storage was found in response to cooling rate and harvest date but, in general, delayed harvesting reduced storage potential unless very fast cooling rates were employed. The starch-iodine staining pattern was an unreliable guide to the optimum harvesting period; firmness after storage was not related to firmness at harvest or after the initial period of fruit cooling to –1°C.