-4- 



Pears have clear limits on how long they can be stored and still retain their ability 

 to ripen properly after storage. In general, Bartletts seldom keep well in air beyond 

 December or early January; Bosc beyond February, and Anjou beyond March. If stored 

 longer than this in air, they will not ripen properly. Anjous present another requirement, 

 in that they will not ripen properly unless they have been kept at a low temperature 

 for close to 2 months. 



Pears respond very well to CA for longer storage times. In some areas 1% O2 is 

 recommended. Pears can be very sensitive to CO2, so less than 1% CO2 in the storage 

 atmosphere is often recommended, especially in combination with 1% O2. CA studies 

 with pears in New York led to the recommendation of 2.5% O2 and less than 2.5% 

 CO2 for Bartlett and Bosc, so these conditions probably represent the best 

 recommendation for pears grown in the Northeast. 



Pears are very susceptible to shrivel. Since it is difficult to maintain high enough 

 humidity in storage to avoid significant water loss and shrivel if pears are to be stored 

 for long, perforated polyethylene liners or bags are often used with success. At the 

 very least, it is desirable to place polyethylene sheets over the tops of bins before 

 storing pears. With a relatively high humidity to control shrivel, unacceptable amounts 

 of rots can develop on stored pears. Furthermore, pears (especially Anjou) may be 

 susceptible to scald. Protection against rot can be provided by a preharvest drenching 

 or dipping of the fruit with benomyl 50% WP at 8 ounces/100 gal. and if scald is a risk, 

 2700 ppm ethoxyquin can be added. 



Ripening . For pears to achieve high quality, they must be properly ripened after storage. 

 They will ripen at 60-65°F, but if the humidity is low they can shrivel quickly during 

 this time. It is therefore necessary to either ripen them in a humid area or to cover 

 them with a polyethylene sheet during ripening. 



If pears have been stored too long, they will not ripen properly regardless of 

 treatment. If it is intended to keep pears to the limit of their storage life, then you 

 should periodically remove samples from storage and test their ripening time. If it 

 takes less than 5 days for them to reach full ripeness, they are in danger of losing 

 their ability to ripen and should be stored no longer. Maturity at harvest and storage 

 temperature will markedly influence their maximum storage life. 



Conclusion 



Pears can be a very high quality commodity, but to produce this quality special 

 care is required. They must be harvested at the proper stage of maturity, handled 

 carefully, stored correctly and then ripened properly after storage if premium quality 

 is to be achieved. Many consumers are wary of pears due to unfavorable experiences 

 with them. When you are marketing your own pears locally, you have the opportunity 

 to educate your customers to the potential quality of pears, and to greatly increase 

 repeat sales. 



