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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #105367
Title: FRUIT QUALITY OF COLD STORED CHERRIES INFESTED WITH CODLING MOTH

Author
item Hansen, James D
item Simmons, Gilbert

Submitted to: Journal of Food Quality
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/22/2002
Publication Date: 3/1/2002
Citation: Hansen, J.D., Simmons, G.F. 2002. Fruit quality of cold stored cherries infested with codling moth. Journal of Food Quality. 25:533-540.

Interpretive Summary: Japan requires that sweet cherries from the United States be fumigated with methyl bromide to control the codling moth, a quarantine pest. Because the fruit is perishable, it is held at cold temperatures during processing, transit, and storage. If it can be shown that cold storage contributes to the elimination of larvae, this information can be used to develop a control strategy called the Systems Approach to replace the fumigation. In this study, `Bing' cherries from organically-grown and conventionally-produced orchards were infested with first instars of the codling moth and held in cold at 3.3 deg C for different periods up to two weeks, then the insects were allowed to develop. During this period, the fruits were observed for damage. Infested organic fruits deteriorated faster than the conventional cherries, but fruits with the longest cold storage had the least damage. Fungal disease was a major cause for fruit deterioration. This important information on fruit quality in the implementation of the Systems Approach for quarantine security.

Technical Abstract: The fruit quality of sweet cherries, Prunus avium (L.) was studied. Each cherry was infested with one first instar of codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), and held at 3.3 deg C for 0 (control), 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, or 14 days. After cold storage, fruits were maintained at 25 deg C and observed periodically for damage. A damage scale was developed from 0 as no damage to 9 as complete destruction. Two groups of `Bing' cherries were examined, one from an organically grown orchard and the other produced commercially with conventional chemical control. Uninfested fruits showed no damage after one month whereas infested fruits had a damage rating of 2 by the fifth day. Infested organic fruits deteriorated faster than the conventional cherries, but fruits with the longest cold storage had the least damage. Larvae were often missing because of fruit deterioration and fungal contaminations. Fruit quality measurements from this study would assist the application of the Systems Approach for quarantine security with cherries exported to Japan.