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STORAGE OF PEACHES 



Frequently growers wish to hold peaches in storage in order to extend 

 the marketing period. At summer temperatures, picked fruit ripens very 

 rapidly and is subject to rapid decay. Respiration studies on peaches have 

 shown that the influence of temperature on the rate of respiration of peaches 

 is greater than with many other fruits. 



Research workers have found that a storage temperature of 32° F is most 

 suitable for peaches. There is practically no softening of fruit at this- 

 temperature and frequently less mealiness and breakdown occurs than when 

 stored at higher temperatures. 



Growers who have had poor results when storing peaches for two or three 

 weeks might try delayed storage. If the peaches are to be sold at the road- 

 side stand, hold them at 70°-80° F after harvest, until they are practically 

 eating ripe before placing them in storage. This procedure as research 

 results have shown may prevent the development of mealiness. Fruit to be 

 sold to stores should not be held as long at 70°-80° F because firmer fruit 

 are necessary for this method of sale. 



A delay in storage is not necessary if peaches are to be held in storage 

 for only three or four days . 



Only peaches free of bruises and brown rot infection should be stored. 

 Even under the most favorable conditions peaches cannot usually be stored 

 longer than two or three weeks. 



W. J. Lord 



I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 



COLD AND CA STORAGE SUGGESTIONS 



Basically, cold and CA storage represents a means of slowing down the rate 

 of fruit deterioration. If storage of apples were simply a question of slowing 

 the rate of ripening by utilizing low temperatures and controlling the oxygen 

 and carbon dioxide level, the problem of supplying the consumer with a good 

 product after storage would be relatively easy. However, our apple varieties 

 are subject to a variety of physiological disorders such as scald, internal 

 breakdown, brown core, bitter pit, and water core that can result in serious 

 losses to the grower. These troubles are influenced to a considerable degree 

 by the type of growing season experienced and the maturity of the fruit. Such 

 things as nutritional status of the tree and the size of individual fruits are 

 involved in some cases, also. It is not often possible at harvest time to pre- 

 dict with accuracy how serious many of these disorders will be after several 

 months of storage. Consequently, semimonthly checking of stored fruit from 

 December onward should be done much more regularly than ie now being practiced . 

 This is true not only for cold storage but also CA stored fruit . Many things 



