- 3 



It is likely that the encouraging results from irradiation of straw- 

 berries and potatoes will continue to stimulate research on ways to 

 treat other fresh fruits and vegetables. However, the great sensitivity 

 of most fresh produce to gamma rays will impose severe restrictions on 

 radiation usage. In addition, the great expense of a radiation facility 

 will impose additional economic restrictions unless future technological 

 break-throughs can greatly reduce its cost. We can expect to continue 

 reading in the popular press, glowing accounts of the use of "magic rays" 

 to preserve foods, for this is fertile ground for journalists, but such 

 reports should be met with a healthy skepticism. Irradiation is certainly 

 no cure-all for post-harvest diseases of fruits. 



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DURATION OF RECEPTIVITY OF HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRY FLOWERS TO POLLINATION 



William J. Lord 

 Department of Plant and Soil Sciences 



Studies conducted by J. N. Moore at Beltsville, Maryland, and re- 

 ported in the Proceedings of the American Society for Horticultural 

 Science , (Vol. 85) indicate that, under field conditions, some fruit 

 set of cultivated highbush blueberries occurred even when pollination 

 was prevented for 8 days after opening of blossoms. The per cent fruit 

 set was significantly reduced, however, when pollination was delayed 6 

 days or longer on Coville and 8 days on Blueray. 



Delaying pollination also resulted in a decrease in average weight 

 per berry. A decrease occurred on Blueray when the pollination delay 

 was only 2 days, whereas a 6-day delay was necessary for a significant 

 reduction to occur on Coville. Nevertheless, an 8-day pollination de- 

 lay resulted in a more marked reduction in berry weight on Coville than 

 on Blueray. 



As Moore pointed out, varietal differences in length of pistil re- 

 ceptivity to pollination may be important when unfavorable conditions 

 for bee activity occur or when the bee population is limited. 



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PUBLICATION AVAILABLE 



Technical Information Series Publication No. 2 , entitled "A Mech- 

 anical Harvesting and Handling System for Processing Apples" is avail- 

 able from the Mailing Room, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. This 



