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POMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 



2t The Influence of Orchard aid Post-Harvest 

 Treatments on the Metabolism of Tree Fruits 



Frcm this flowery sounding project title^ it has been our objective to de- 

 termine the influence of orchard fertilizers and spray treatments on the rate of 

 respiration, scftening, storage disorders, and marketable life cf apples*, In ad- 

 dition, we are also concerned with the effect of post-harvest treatments such as 

 wraps, chemical dips and vapors, temperatvire, variations in atmospheric gases 

 (controlled atmosphere storage) on the various factors mentioned previously. Our 

 basic objective, therefore, is to find ways of slowing the rate cf fresh fruit 

 deterioration. 



Seme information we have gathered while working on this project follows: 



1» Excessive use of nitrogen has a pronounced influence on the firm?- 

 ness and rate of ripening of apples. High nitrogen apples, although greener and 

 less ripe looking, are actually softer and keep less weH than fruit from trees 

 at a moderate nitrogen level, 



2, All our pre-harvest drop hormones hasten ripening to some degree. 

 Some of them cause much more ripening than others. Of the materials being sold 

 in Massachusetts, 2,U,5-TP hastens ripening more than either 2,li,^-TA or NAAo The 

 ripening effect on apples is much more pronounced when the trees are high in ni- 

 trogen than when they are growing at a moderate level of nitrogen, 



3, Maleic hydrazide applied as a spray is capable of slowing the rate 

 of fruit ripening sLightly, One of ovir hopes is that some day a chemical ripen- 

 ing inhibitor will be found which will significantly lengthen the marketable life 

 of fresh fruit, 



1;, ¥e have learned many things about controlled atmosphere storage 

 constructirn and management during the past 3 years following commercial instal- 

 lation of such rooms in this state, 



i«H<-F ,W , S ttuthwi ck 

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Learn and See Thru Yfcur TV 



The Massachusetts Extension Service in cooperation with 

 Station IBZ-TV, Channel U, Boston, presents - 



"Homecoming" - TiTednesdays 2rU5 - 3:00 PM 



A program featuring many suggestions 

 of special interest to the homemaker, 



"Down To Earth" - Saturdays 8:30 - 8:5$ AM 



For those folks interested in agri- 

 culture acid the problems of the 

 hemp gardener. 



