Articles
Peel colour responses to in-field artificial cooling of fruit in blush pears
Article number
1403_21
Pages
177 – 182
Language
English
Abstract
Light is essential for peel colour development in many red or blush pear cultivars.
In certain selections, colour may be enhanced or degraded in association with low or high temperatures.
However, for most pear selections, the relationships between fruit temperature and peel colour are not well understood.
While field investigations of light effects on colour development have been undertaken, field studies regarding fruit temperature are limited and have opportunistically utilized weather conditions, such as a passing cold front or heat wave.
A method of artificially cooling blush pears in the field was trialled during the 2021/2022 season.
Fruit surfaces were cooled by piping cool air to the fruit surface during the day for two periods of 5 days.
Fruit temperature was monitored continuously with fine wire thermocouples and daily measures of fruit peel colour were taken with a colorimeter.
Artificial cooling appeared to mitigate yellowing of ‘ANP-0534’ fruit at harvest.
The usefulness of artificial heating and cooling systems to investigate impacts of temperature on colour is likely limited by the interrelationship of light and temperature.
In certain selections, colour may be enhanced or degraded in association with low or high temperatures.
However, for most pear selections, the relationships between fruit temperature and peel colour are not well understood.
While field investigations of light effects on colour development have been undertaken, field studies regarding fruit temperature are limited and have opportunistically utilized weather conditions, such as a passing cold front or heat wave.
A method of artificially cooling blush pears in the field was trialled during the 2021/2022 season.
Fruit surfaces were cooled by piping cool air to the fruit surface during the day for two periods of 5 days.
Fruit temperature was monitored continuously with fine wire thermocouples and daily measures of fruit peel colour were taken with a colorimeter.
Artificial cooling appeared to mitigate yellowing of ‘ANP-0534’ fruit at harvest.
The usefulness of artificial heating and cooling systems to investigate impacts of temperature on colour is likely limited by the interrelationship of light and temperature.
Publication
Authors
L. McClymont, A. Scalisi, R. Singh, I. Goodwin
Keywords
hue, red peel, colour degradation, colour loss
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