Location: Commodity Protection and Quality Research
Project Number: 2034-43000-039-000-D
Project Type: In-House Appropriated
Start Date: May 19, 2015
End Date: May 17, 2020
Objective:
Objective 1: Integrate pre- and postharvest approaches to enhance fruit flavor quality and enable commercial methods to extend postharvest life of fresh fruit.
• Sub-objective 1A: Identify factors influencing the development of postharvest off-flavor formation in mandarins.
• Sub-objective 1B: Develop pre- and postharvest integrated practices using reduced-risk or generally-recognized-as-safe substances and advanced packaging technologies to control postharvest diseases and maintain fruit quality of blueberries.
• Sub-objective 1C: Develop pre- and postharvest integrated practices using reduced-risk or generally-recognized-as-safe substances to control postharvest diseases and maintain fruit quality of table grapes.
Objective 2: Enable new commercial postharvest methods to remove or reduce fungicide residues on fresh fruit.
• Sub-objective 2A: Develop postharvest treatments with generally-recognized-as-safe substances to remove or reduce fungicide residues on blueberries.
Approach:
The goal of this project is to maintain/improve fruit quality and prolong storage and shelf life of fresh fruits. The emphasis is on the integration of pre- and postharvest practices using reduced-risk fungicides or substances that are generally recognized as safe for decay control and fruit quality preservation. Field and laboratory experiments will be conducted on different varieties to identify biochemical, physiological and anatomical factors that influence off-flavor development in mandarin citrus after harvest. Field and cold storage experiments will be conducted to evaluate various pre- and postharvest practices using reduced-risk or generally-recognized-as-safe substances and advanced packaging technologies to control postharvest diseases and maintain fruit quality of blueberries and table grapes. Initially effective individual pre- and postharvest practices will be identified, and in the later phase of the project integrations of effective pre- and postharvest practices will be developed and evaluated. The effects of postharvest fumigation treatments with generally-recognized-as-safe substances on fungicide residues on blueberry fruit will be evaluated, and effective treatments will be developed as mitigation measures for removal or reduction of fungicide residues on blueberry fruit.
