Researches Regarding the Influence of Storage Conditions upon the Quality of Cherry Fruits

  • Adrian CHIRA Faculty of Horticulture, Department of Bioinginery of Horti-viticulture Systems. University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Bucharest, 59 Marasti, 011464, Romania;
  • Lenuta CHIRA Faculty of Horticulture, Department of Bioinginery of Horti-viticulture Systems. University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Bucharest, 59 Marasti, 011464, Romania;
Keywords: modified atmosphere, semipermeable plastic film, packages.

Abstract

The studies concerning the cherry fruits are concentrated on reducing the losses during the storageperiod, subject also treated in this paper. The fruit cherries from Hedelfinger and Stella varieties wereharvested at the consumption maturation phase. After harvest and at the end of storage period, thefruits were weighed in order to establish the weight losses and also to observe the percentage of therotten fruits. The results obtained show that the shelf life of fruits reaches 12 days (Hedelfinger) or 16days (Stella) in refrigerated conditions and modified atmosphere package and only 5 days (Hedelfinger)or 6 days (Stella) in ambient conditions. The total losses during storage period were between 11.1% inrefrigerated conditions and modified atmosphere package and 36.9% in ambient conditions.A 5-7 daysdifference was observed between the storage period in cold conditions, without covered package (V3)and the storage period in cold conditions and covered with semipermeable film plastic (V1), proving thefavorable effect of the semipermeable film plastic on the cherries storage period. The lowest percentageof damaged fruits caused by Monilinia laxa (3.4% Hedelfinger and 3% Stella) was recorded at the V1variant, the other variants recording bigger losses.
Published
2014-05-29