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Interest is growing among small-scale growers in grafting tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) for improved crop productivity. Healing of newly grafted plants is often considered to be a critical process requiring a highly controlled environment. Setting up healing chambers and managing healing conditions can be major challenges for small-scale producers that limit graft survival and discourage further attempts at using grafting technology. Here, we demonstrate a simple “chamberless healing” strategy for grafted tomato plants using regular indoor conditions without the need to install and manage a sophisticated healing chamber. We hypothesize that tomato can form a high-quality graft in a healing environment with relative humidity below 70% and ambient temperatures between 22 and 25 °C. ‘Tribute’ beefsteak tomato as the scion was grafted onto ‘Estamino’ rootstock in the 2018 experiment, whereas ‘Multifort’ and ‘Shield RZ F1 (61-802)’ were used as the rootstocks in the 2019 experiment. After grafting, the seedlings for the chamberless healing treatment were kept in uncovered seedling trays and misted with water two or three times per day. Seedlings in other treatments were placed in a humidity dome or wrapped chamber to maintain high humidity during the first few days after grafting. In the 2018 experiment, chamberless healing was compared with covered treatments with different ventilation times during the first few days after grafting. In the 2019 experiment, chamberless healing was compared with a standard graft healing chamber treatment to further validate its feasibility. In both 2018 and 2019, all treatments showed high graft survival rates (>85%) at 21 days after grafting (DAG), and plants from the chamberless healing treatment had a lower incidence of adventitious root growth than plants from other healing treatments (0% to 7% vs. 33% to 78%). In the 2019 experiment, no differences in graft union strength, photosynthetic rate, biomass accumulation, or flowering time were observed between the chamberless and standard healing treatments. Plants with chamberless healing were slightly (8%) shorter than the standard treatment at 21 DAG, but no difference was observed at 27 DAG. Although some additional management is required during healing to prevent water loss, the alternative chamberless system assessed in this study exhibited great potential to facilitate small-scale graft healing for producing grafted tomato transplants under standard indoor conditions without any sophisticated healing environment and management.

The subtropical peach cultivar UFSun grafted on five different rootstocks ('Flordaguard', 'Barton', 'MP‐29', 'P‐22', and 'Okinawa') was investigated in terms of the pomological and biochemical parameters of the fruit. Significant differences in fruit weight and size, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, and firmness were found among some rootstocks. The fruit length and diameter were different between the 'MP‐29' and other rootstocks. It was also found that firmness of 'UFSun' fruit was affected by the rootstock. The highest firmness value was found when 'UFSun' was grafted on 'Flordaguard'.' 'MP‐29' fruit had the highest soluble solids content, but there were no differences among the other rootstocks. 'UFSun' fruit from trees grafted on 'MP‐29' were smaller and had the most intense color compared to 'UFSun' fruit from other rootstocks. Rootstock had a significant influence on total fruit phenolic compounds, anthocyanin content, and total antioxidant activity, with fruit from 'UFSun' on 'MP‐29' having the highest values in all of them. A high correlation between fruit total antioxidant activity and total phenolic content was found. Overall, the results showed that 'MP‐29' seems to induce the highest fruit quality, showing higher contents of total soluble solids, total titratable acidity, total phenolic compounds, total antioxidant activity, and total anthocyanin content. Selecting the right combination of the rootstock and cultivar is important for optimizing fruit quality parameters., Significant differences in fruit weight and size, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, and firmness were found among some rootstocks. 'MP‐29'rootstock seems to induce the highest fruit quality, showing higher contents of total soluble solids, total titratable acidity, total phenolic compounds, total antioxidant activity, and total anthocyanin content. Selecting the right combination of the rootstock and cultivar is important for optimizing fruit quality parameters.

Fresh-cut mango (Mangifera indica) slices and chunks garner an exotic image and are highly appreciated for their unique flavor and nutritional value. However, processors tend to use firm unripe mangoes to achieve shelf life of 10 to 14 days, which compromises eating quality. The post-processing life of ripe fresh-cut mangoes is limited by tissue softening, translucency, and browning. The current study was undertaken to investigate whether edible coatings can extend the shelf life of fresh-cut mangoes processed at an eating-ripe stage. Three edible coatings, carboxymethylcellulose (1% w/v), aloe (Aloe vera) powder (2% w/v), and whey protein isolate (2% w/v), supplemented with calcium ascorbate 2% w/v (firming agent) and the antioxidants citric acid (0.8% w/v) and acetyl-N-cysteine (0.4% w/v), were used. The mixture of antibrowning agents, whether applied alone or with the edible coatings, was the most effective at reducing slice browning up to 10 and 11 days at 5 °C for ‘Tommy Atkins’ and ‘Kent’, respectively. In general, there were no differences in firmness and flavor among the three edible coatings. Calcium ascorbate alone did not suppress browning consistently, whereas citric acid appeared to be the ingredient having the greatest antibrowning effect on slice quality. Citric acid can easily be used by processors of fresh-cut mangoes to prevent browning.

Fruit bagging is an acceptable cultural practice for organic production that provides a physical barrier to protect fruit. It can reduce pest and pathogen injury for a variety of fruit crops, but quality attributes have been inconsistent for peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] and other bagged fruit. A 2-year experiment on a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic-certified peach orchard in central Florida was conducted to analyze the effects of a commercially available paper bag designed for fruit protection and cardinal quadrant (north, south, east, and west sides) of the tree canopy on low-chill peach ‘TropicBeauty’ fruit quality. Protective bags appeared to delay fruit maturity. Flesh firmness and chlorophyll concentration of bagged fruit were 31% and 27% greater than unbagged fruit, respectively. Bagged fruit were protected as demonstrated with a reduction in mechanical injury by 95%, fruit fly injury by 450%, and scab-like lesions by 810%. Bagging reduced fruit brown rot (Monilinia fructicola) at harvest and 7 days after harvest; unbagged fruit were 2 and 3.5 times more likely to have rot at harvest and 7 days after harvest, respectively. Fruit bags did not affect yield, fruit size, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, peel lightness, peel hue angle, or flesh color. Overall, canopy cardinal quadrant location had minimal effect on fruit quality or fruit injury. These results demonstrate that bagging peach fruit protects against various pests and diseases but has minimal effects on fruit quality. Broad adoption of this technology is highly dependent on available labor, market demands, and profitability but may be suitable for producers using direct-to-consumer market channels.

This study investigated the effect of ethylene treatment at high temperatures of 30 to 40 °C for up to 72 hours on subsequent ripening-associated processes in mature green ‘Sunny’ and ‘Agriset 761’ tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum). Compared with ethylene-treated fruit at 20 °C, ethylene exposure at 30 or 35 °C stimulated ripening in terms of ethylene biosynthesis and color development, but the ethylene effect was only apparent after transfer to air at 20 °C. There were no negative effects on ripe tomato quality related to ethylene exposure at 30 or 35 °C. However, ethylene production of tomatoes was permanently impaired by ethylene exposure at 40 °C for 48 or 72 hours even after transferring fruit to air at 20 °C; these fruit exhibited slow softening and color development. Our results suggest that tomatoes perceive ethylene at 30 to 35 °C despite impairment of ripening at those temperatures, with the accelerated ripening response becoming apparent only after transferring the tomatoes to air at lower temperature.

BACKGROUND Tree-ripe mangoes are of a better quality than the more commonly marketed mature-green fruit. However, the postharvest life of tree-ripe mangoes at the chilling threshold temperature for mature-green fruit of 12 °C is insufficient to allow long distance transport for international marketing. Because the chilling sensitivity often decreases as fruit ripen, lower temperatures (5 and 8 °C) in combination with a controlled atmosphere of 5 kPa O2 plus 10 or 25 kPa CO2 were tested to determine whether the quality of tree-ripe mangoes could be maintained longer without chilling injury (CI). RESULTS Tree-ripe 'Tommy Atkins' and 'Keitt' mangoes were stored for 14 or 21 days, respectively, in air or controlled atmosphere (CA) at 5 or 8 °C. Respiration rates were below 10 mL kg-1 h-1 during CA storage and increased three-fold during a 3-day shelf life period at 20 °C. Ethanol synthesis of fruit stored in 25 kPa CO2 , but not 10 kPa CO2 , increased during storage and remained high during shelf life, indicating physiological stress. Elevated electrolyte leakage and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid concentrations in both cultivars stored in 25 kPa CO2 also indicated that mesocarp tissues were injured by the higher CO2 level. No CI symptoms were observed in air or CA at either 5 or 8 °C. CONCLUSION Storage of tree-ripe mangoes in 5 kPa O2 plus 10 kPa CO2 at either 5 or 8 °C best maintained the quality of Tommy Atkins and Keitt fruit for 14 or 21 days, respectively, without evidence of either atmosphere injury or CI. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Although grower interest in high tunnel tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) production has increased in recent years, systematic high tunnel research conducted in humid, subtropical regions has been limited. The potential of tomato grafting to mitigate biotic and abiotic stresses makes it complementary to high-value production systems in high tunnels. In this 2-year study, grafted vs. nongrafted organic tomato production in high tunnels and open fields was investigated to determine possible synergistic effects of these two technologies. In 2016, high tunnels resulted in a significant increase of total and marketable yields, by 43% and 87%, respectively, over open field production. Grafting also significantly increased total and marketable yields over nongrafted plants by 34% and 42%, respectively. Cultivar effects demonstrated greater benefits with the implementation of high tunnel and grafting technologies for ‘Tribute’ (a beefsteak-type tomato) than for ‘Garden Gem’ (a plum-type tomato), as the increase in marketable yield was 33% greater for ‘Tribute’ in high tunnels and 45% greater for ‘Tribute’ with grafting. In 2017, a delayed effective transplanting date and the lack of high tunnel summer season extension produced results that were generally cultivar specific. While grafting increased the total yield of both cultivars (by 18%), marketable yield was increased by grafting only for ‘Tribute’ in high tunnels (by 42%). Additionally, high tunnels improved marketable yield of ‘Tribute’ by 129% but had no effect on ‘Garden Gem’. This demonstrated the consistent trend of the beefsteak-type tomato benefiting more from the combination of high tunnel and grafting technologies than the plum-type tomato. High tunnels reduced fruit decay and cracking by up to 71% compared with open field production. Stink bug (Pentatomidae) damage had the greatest impact on marketable yields each season, reaching 13% and 34% of total yields in 2016 and 2017, respectively, and was unaffected by high tunnel production or grafting. This study revealed the benefits of integrating high tunnel and grafting technologies for enhancing organic production of fresh-market tomato in the humid subtropics, and demonstrated more research is warranted to establish regional planting dates and further optimize this high-value cropping system.

The physical and chemical characteristics of two melting flesh (MF) cultivars, TropicBeauty and Flordaprince, and two non-melting flesh (NMF) cultivars, UFSun and Gulfking, with advancing maturities, were determined at harvest, after ripening at 20 °C for 7 days (i.e., direct ripening) and after storage at 0 °C for 14 days then ripening at 20 °C for 7 days (i.e., ripening following low temperature storage). The NMF cultivars were able to retain flesh firmness better than the MF cultivars as fruit matured and ripened on the tree and after the two storage treatments. The NMF fruit of the least mature to the most advanced maturity groups (MGs) were ≈2 to 7 times firmer than the MF fruit in the same MGs after ripening in both storage conditions. For both MF and NMF fruit, a significant reduction of titratable acidity (TA) occurred with no significant changes in soluble solids content (SSC) and total soluble sugar (TSS) as maturity and ripening progressed on the tree and after ripening in both storage conditions. Minimum quality standards of “ready for consumption” peaches were used as general guidelines to determine the optimum harvest maturity of all four cultivars. The NMF fruit ripened directly had wider optimum harvest maturity ranges and could be harvested at more advanced stages than the MF fruit. The MF fruit that ripened following low temperature storage needed to be picked at earlier maturity stages than those that were directly ripened. The optimum harvest maturity of NMF UFSun for the low temperature storage treatment was more advanced than that of the other three cultivars due to abnormal softening found in the lower MGs after ripening. Linear correlation analyses showed that the skin ground color (GC) a* values of both MF cultivars and NMF ‘UFSun’ were highly correlated with the flesh color (FC) a* values, suggesting that GC a* values can be an informative harvest indicator for this NMF cultivar instead of the traditionally used FC. The GC a* values also had high linear correlation with TA for all four cultivars, suggesting that TA can be a potential maturity index for both MF and NMF peaches. Significant correlations of GC a* values and flesh firmness (GC-FF) were found in all four cultivars in one year but only in MF peaches in both years, showing that flesh firmness was the most consistent maturity indicator for the MF cultivars in this study.

Postharvest losses of fresh produce constitute the biggest portion of the total food losses occurring in food chains globally. The main driver behind the postharvest losses of fresh fruits and vegetables is temperature abuse occurring mainly during transportation and storage. This is a particular problem for small-acreage producers, who frequently have limited access to postharvest handling resources like optimum refrigeration conditions. Passive modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is a relatively inexpensive intervention that does not require specialized equipment and has demonstrated some potential for maintaining the quality and extending the shelf life of fresh produce stored in nonoptimum temperatures. Our objective was to determine the effect of passive MAP on the quality and storage life of spinach (Spinacia oleracea cv. Corvair) when stored in nonoptimum temperatures. Mature spinach leaves (≈320 g) were packaged in passive MAP bags, developed using the BreatheWay technology, and non-MAP produce bags and subsequently stored at 13 or 21 °C. Spinach physical and nutritional quality was evaluated throughout its storage life in terms of overall quality, water loss, leaf tenderness, surface color, chlorophyll content, electrolyte leakage, chlorophyll fluorescence, antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content, and vitamin C content. Spinach that was stored in MAP bags reached headspace equilibrium at ≈6% Ο2 and 11% CΟ2 at 13 °C and ≈4% Ο2 and 8% CΟ2 at 21 °C after 2 days of storage for both temperatures. The spinach stored in passive MAP at 13 or 21 °C demonstrated significantly higher overall quality during storage and 2 and 1 day longer storage life, respectively, when compared with the control. The spinach in passive MAP demonstrated a slower rate of yellowing and water loss during storage. The limiting factor for the spinach stored in MAP was decay due to condensation at 13 °C and yellowing at 21 °C. There were no statistical differences in the examined nutritional quality parameters between the spinach stored in MAP and produce bags. This study shows that passive MAP can be a valuable tool for reducing the food losses occurring in small-acreage fruit and vegetable operations that have limited access to cooling and refrigerated storage.

The U.S. fresh-market tomato industry faces increasing competition from Mexico, which achieves greater productivity and quality due to the use of protected structures. Protected agriculture is limited in humid, subtropical regions of the United States. Although grower interest in high tunnel production has increased in recent years, systematic high tunnel research has not yet been conducted in subtropical Florida. Additionally, although tomato grafting has shown the potential to overcome biotic and abiotic stresses, research of high-tunnel, grafted tomato production in subtropical conditions is lacking. During this 2-year study (Citra, FL), a side-by-side comparison of open field and high tunnel organic tomato production was conducted using a split-split plot design. The most significant benefit of high tunnel production was season extension achieved through the reduction of foliar disease severity, which reduced the area under the disease progress curve by 64% across two seasons. This may be largely attributed to the pronounced reduction in the duration of leaf wetness during the wet months of the growing cycle. Grafting with ‘Multifort’ rootstock reduced the root-knot nematode soil population density by 88% as well as root galling severity, both of which demonstrated the potential for increased levels in the high tunnel production system compared with open field production. The more severe root-knot nematode infestation in high tunnels was likely due to the modification of soil temperatures, which were 2 °C greater during the early part of the season but were reduced after shadecloth application. Compared with the open field, solar radiation was reduced by 23% in the high tunnel before shadecloth application and by 51% after shadecloth application; however, due to the high radiation levels in subtropical Florida, daily light integral levels indicated that light was not limiting for high-quality tomato production. The average wind speed was reduced by 57% in the high tunnel and, together with the reduction in solar radiation, indicated the potential reduction in summer abiotic stress and evapotranspiration within high tunnels. These results revealed that the integrated use of high tunnel and grafting technologies may be important for enhancing fresh-market tomato production in the humid subtropics, especially in organic systems.

Mango flavor is dependent on cultivar characteristics and postharvest handling procedures. Mangoes harvested with the ripening metabolism initiated develop better flavor than mangoes harvested at the mature-green stage. Different cultivars were harvested at both ripeness stages and evaluated to determine the effect of fruit ripeness, storage temperature and atmosphere on the volatiles present in aroma profiles. Mangoes of the cultivars Haden, Keitt and Tommy Atkins at distinct ripeness stages were stored in controlled atmospheres (CA) with 2, 5 or 21 kPa O2 plus 0, 10 or 25 kPa CO2 at 5, 8, 12 or 15 °C. Terpene concentrations of mangoes stored in air were higher than the concentrations in mangoes stored in CA. The sesquiterpene α-copaene did not present recognizable peaks in almost all elusion sequences. The same result was observed with the monoterpene β-pinene in cv. Haden and cv. Keitt mangoes while in ‘Tommy Atkins’ fruit β-pinene concentrations were below 1.06 µL.L-1. Ethanol and acetaldehyde concentrations were significantly higher in mangoes from 2 kPa O2 storage than those from air storage or the other CA treatments. Terpene synthesis in air or CA storage in all cultivars varied significantly, preventing generalizations as to what storage conditions favor or limit aroma components elution. RESUMO: O complexo aromático de mangas resulta das características de cada cultivar e do manejo pós-colheita dos frutos. Mangas colhidas em estádio de maturação mais avançado desenvolvem um aroma melhor que mangas colhidas no estádio pré-climetérico. Para o presente trabalho diferentes cultivares de mangas foram colhidas em ambos estádios de maturação e avaliadas para os efeitos destes estádios e da atmosfera de armazenagem nos compostos voláteis presentes no perfil de aroma. Mangas das cultivares Haden, Keitt e Tommy Atkins, em distintos estádios de maturação, foram armazenadas em ar refrigerado ou em atmosfera controlada (AC) com 2, 5 ou 21 kPa O2 misturado a 0, 10, ou 25 kPa CO2 com temperaturas de 8, 12 ou 15 °C. As concentrações de terpenos em mangas armazenadas em ar refrigerado foram mais elevadas que as concentrações determinadas em armazenagem em AC. O sesquiterpeno α-copaeno não apresentou picos reconhecíveis em nenhum dos cromatogramas de mangas dos diferentes tratamentos. O mesmo comportamento foi observado com o β-pineno nas cv. Haden e Keitt, enquanto que na cv. Tommy Atkins este monoterpeno apresentou picos de eluição abaixo 1.06 µL.L-1. Concentrações de etanol e acetaldeído foram significativamente maiores em mangas armazenadas em AC de 2 kPa O2 na comparação com armazenagem em ar e com as demais concentrações de AC. A biossíntese de terpenos em armazenagem, tanto em ar refrigerado como em AC, variou consideravelmente de modo que deve-se evitar generalizações sobre quais condições de armazenagem favorecem ou limitam a composição do complexo aromático em mangas.

Pitaya is a non-climacteric fruit that has white or red flesh with numerous small, black seeds. It has a high moisture content, however, water loss during handling and storage negatively affects the fresh weight, firmness and appearance of the fruit, decreasing market value. Application of compatible postharvest coatings has been shown to benefit postharvest quality of many crops. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of two commercial coatings on weight loss and quality of pitaya during storage. Pitaya fruit were commercially harvested and sorted for uniformity of size and freedom from defects. Fruit were briefly immersed in either a vegetable oil-based coating (VOC, Sta-Fresh® 2981) or a carnauba-based coating (CC, Endura-Fresh™ 6100) according to manufacturer’s recommendations. Fruit immersed in tap water served as a control. Fruit were fan-dried at room temperature for 20 min, then stored at 7 °C with 85% relative humidity (RH) and evaluated for selected physical quality parameters each 5 days during 20 days. After each evaluation, fruit were peeled and frozen for later analysis of soluble solids content (SSC), total titratable acidity (TTA), on day 15 fresh samples were evaluated by an untrained consumer sensory panel. CC prevented exocarp shriveling for 15 days of storage, compared to uncoated pitaya (16.3% area affected), shriveling in VOC was intermediate and not significantly different from the other treatments. Mesocarp firmness remained constant throughout 15 days of storage regardless of treatment. Fruit exocarp h* angle increased slightly by day 20, becoming slightly less red, and there were no negative treatment effects for the other quality factors measured: SSC (11.33%), TTA (0.25%), weight loss (5.5%) or sensory evaluations (appearance, flavor, texture, firmness, and juiciness). After 20 days storage, appearance for fruit from all treatments was rated unacceptable due to development of anthracnose lesions. It was concluded that both CC and VOC maintained quality of pitaya for 15 days at 7 °C and 85% RH by delaying exocarp shriveling.

High CO2 atmospheres have been reported to be accountable for slower ripening processes of many fruit species. In modified or controlled atmosphere storage of mangoes (Mangifera indica L.) delayed ripening is attributed to the effects of CO2 on ethylene biosynthesis, which is reduced under CO2 concentrations beyond 10%. In the present work the objective was to determine if those elevated CO2 atmospheres on ethylene synthesis could be attributed to the action of CO2 upon ACC oxidase. Mature green or tree ripe `Tommy Atkins` mangoes were, in four experiments, held in a flow through system of either 10 or 25% CO2 mixed to 5% O2 or only air for 14 or 21 days at 5, 8 or 12°C. Mangoes in the 25% CO2 atmosphere did not produce detectable levels of ethylene, whereas under 10% CO2 the production rates were significantly suppressed at 5 or 8°C. However, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) concentrations in mango mesocarp tissue at retrieval from storage were similar to the air controls and ACC synthase activity was not completely inhibited. The direct effects of CO2 concentrations on ACC oxidase activity is to be considered the most important factor in inhibiting ethylene biosynthesis of mangoes under 25% CO2 atmospheres. . High CO2 atmospheres have been reported to be accountable for slower ripening processes of many fruit species. In modified or controlled atmosphere storage of mangoes (Mangifera indica L.) delayed ripening is attributed to the effects of CO2 on ethylene biosynthesis, which is reduced under CO2 concentrations beyond 10%. In the present work the objective was to determine if those elevated CO2 atmospheres on ethylene synthesis could be attributed to the action of CO2 upon ACC oxidase. Mature green or tree ripe `Tommy Atkins` mangoes were, in four experiments, held in a flow through system of either 10 or 25% CO2 mixed to 5% O2 or only air for 14 or 21 days at 5, 8 or 12°C. Mangoes in the 25% CO2 atmosphere did not produce detectable levels of ethylene, whereas under 10% CO2 the production rates were significantly suppressed at 5 or 8°C. However, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) concentrations in mango mesocarp tissue at retrieval from storage were similar to the air controls and ACC synthase activity was not completely inhibited. The direct effects of CO2 concentrations on ACC oxidase activity is to be considered the most important factor in inhibiting ethylene biosynthesis of mangoes under 25% CO2 atmospheres.

Mature green ‘FL 47′ tomatoes were exposed to heat (52 °C water for 5 min) and/or cold (5 °C for 4 d) before sampling at following ripening stages. Results showed that although did not cause visual injury, chilling substantially suppressed ripening process, ethylene production and respiration rate at early stages, while a slight impact was observed by heating. Most volatiles were detected at low levels before breaker stage with a burst at red stage in all treatments. Chilling and heating induced production of “green” note volatiles, especially hexenal early in fruit development. At the red stage, 11 out of 12 important aromatic volatiles exhibited significant reduction in chilled fruit compared to control, while most volatiles in heated fruit were recovered during ripening. On the other hand, a pre-chilling heat treatment alleviated the chilling-caused reduction of ethylene during ripening, which was associated with higher levels of 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, 2-phenylacetaldehyde, and 2-phenylethanol in red fruit.

With a growing worldwide population, feeding 10 billion people by the year 2050 is the next global challenge. Fresh produce systems account for a significant fraction of total food and resource consumption due to their perishable nature, with postharvest quality being a key challenge. Production models for fresh produce are widely used and well adapted, whereas postharvest operations (PO) models have only recently been developed. The overarching goal is to quantify interactions of food quality, water and energy use in PO. In this study, an existing PO model was enhanced and implemented for a field grown tomato operation in Florida. Model estimates were compared with data from a representative operation, and were upscaled to obtain statewide estimates. The enhanced model was found to be the most sensitive to harvest frequency, quantity shipped to customer, and quantity harvested. At maximum grower profit, the model estimated water and energy quantities roughly 20% lower for each operation. The representative operation exceeded optimal water and energy usage because the farmers, despite having efficient production, commonly ”over-produce” far beyond optimal levels for reasons including risk of loss, tradition, low market prices, and large fixed costs of operation. Postharvest loss estimated by the model was 22% of quantity harvested for the representative operation. The upscaled regional postharvest losses were at 16% for the state of Florida. Operation-specific water and energy use from the case study were upscaled to give regional monthly estimates of 50.3 million liters and 28.3 million kWh, respectively. Such interactions provide insights into postharvest decisions made by commercial operations and impacts of these decisions on the food, water and energy system. The integrated modeling framework in this study can be extended to other crops and quantify interactions of water, energy and, postharvest losses to optimize efficient management practices.

Cooling procedures used by blueberry (Vaccinium sp.) growers often may include delays up to 24 hours that can damage the fruit through rough handling and adverse temperatures, thereby potentially compromising quality and, subsequently, safety. The objectives of this experiment were to compare forced-air cooling (FAC) compared to hydrocooling without sanitizer (HW) and hydrocooling with sanitizer (HS) regarding the quality and shelf life of southern highbush blueberry [SHB (Vaccinium corymbosum)] and to determine the efficacy of these treatments for reducing Salmonella in SHB. Freshly harvested SHB that were inoculated with a five-serovar cocktail of rifampin-resistant Salmonella were rapidly chilled by FAC or hydrocooling (HW and HS) using a laboratory model system. FAC did not show any significant reduction (P > 0.05) in Salmonella or in the effects on the microbiological quality of blueberries. HW and HS reduced Salmonella by ≈2 and >4 log cfu/g SHB, respectively, on day 0. These postharvest treatments were also evaluated for their ability to help maintain fruit quality throughout a storage period of 21 days at 1 °C. Hydrocooling (both HS and HW) provided more rapid cooling than FAC. Hydrocooled blueberries showed significant weight gain (P < 0.05), whereas FAC resulted in a slight, but insignificant (P > 0.05), reduction in final weight. The results of hydrocooling, both HS and HW, shown in this study could help to extend the shelf life while maintaining or increasing the microbiological quality of fresh market blueberries. Information obtained by this study can be used for developing the best temperature management practices to maintain the postharvest safety and quality of blueberries.

Forced-air precooling of strawberries is rarely ideal due to the non-uniform cooling rate inside precooling facilities and the simple heuristics used to select precooling duration. The aim of this work was to investigate the product temperature distribution during commercial forced-air precooling of strawberries, quantify the relationship between the ambient and product temperature and assess precooling durations. Our field studies showed that the half-cooling time (HCT) on the inside of precooling tunnels is approximately twice the HCT on the outside, facing the incoming air, but is relatively constant along the length of the tunnel and vertically within pallets. The HCT on the outside of the tunnel is strongly correlated to the HCT on the inside, enabling temperature predictions from a limited number of sensors. Temperature variations of up to 7 °C were observed at the end of precooling, suggesting that precooling should be extended in some instances to improve uniformity.

The facts of postharvest food loss and waste and the resulting consequences affect us in many ways, ranging from important economic and social issues to lasting and detrimental environmental problems. We are using genomic tools to understand senescence in postharvest broccoli florets when stored at room temperature or 4 °C. The RNA-sequencing approaches provide key insights into the gradual changes in transcriptome profiling in broccoli during postharvest storage. Identification of those key factors could lead to a better understanding of gene regulation of postharvest senescence. Those genes could serve as ‘freshness-indicators’ that have the potential to mediate senescence and to generate germplasm for breeding new varieties with longer shelf-life in Brassica vegetables. Such a tool would also allow a new level of postharvest logistics based on physiological age, supporting improved availability of high-quality, nutritious, fresh vegetables and fruits.One sentence summaryA gene regulatory network modulates senescence in postharvest broccoli florets

Controlled postharvest stresses were used to induce the synthesis of carotenoids in tomato fruit. The accumulation of carotenoids was observed by the change of color of the tomato fruit from green to red. This change of color was monitored by the a* value and hue of the CIELAB* color coordinates in which the a* value increased following a sigmoidal curve and hue decreased in a similar trend. This sigmoidal curve marked the transition from chloroplasts to chromoplasts; in other words, the change of color tracked the disorganization or degreening, which was simultaneously accompanied by chromoplast biogenesis or red color development when tomatoes were at the Turning stage of development. The color data and photographic images provides information on how heat stress affected the synchronicity of chloroplast disorganization and chromoplast biogenesis in the early developmental stages of tomato ripening.

This manual was developed using information compiled during the National Mango Board-sponsored 2007-09 research project "Monitoring and evaluation of the mango supply chain to improve mango quality" (conducted from December 2007 through April 2009). It includes quality-control procedures to use when monitoring the maturity and quality of mangos in commercial handling operations in the USA. (For the English edition see the Bulletin of the IIR, reference 2010-2103.) Extract from the table of contents: harvest and postharvest process map for fresh mangos; harvest; transport to packinghouses and to retail stores; post-hot-water treatment cooling; cooling prior to shipping; storage rooms; storage at importer/distribution center; mango ripening; storage in walk-in coolers at stores; palletization and staging for cooling/storage/shipping; unloading at stores/holding on docks at stores; stocking and display preparation and rotation. In the appendix: quality control procedures; determining mango fruit maturity; temperature management practices; measuring relative humidity, air velocity, and pressure drops in storage rooms, trailers, or containers; trailer and container inspection and loading practices; refrigerated container/trailer loading diagram; evaluating mango ripening facilities and practices; causes and symptoms of the major defects; mango quality assessment procedures. The manual can be downloaded from: http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/datastorefiles/234-1932.pdf.

International audience; Fresh produce constitutes 44% by weight of the global food losses and waste. Postharvest losses of fresh produce are closely related to the preharvest field conditions during growth. In the Central US, many small acreage vegetable growers are utilizing high tunnels, which have been successful in increasing the yield of several crops. Little is known about the effect of this production system on the postharvest losses. This study tested the hypothesis that the production system will affect the postharvest losses of organic spinach (Spinacia oleracea, “Corvair”) when stored at 3 or 13 °C. Comparative open field and high tunnel trials were conducted from 2015 to 2017. Postharvest losses were evaluated with regard to the spinach quality characteristics and shelf life. During storage at 3 °C, there were no major quality differences between the spinach grown in the two production systems. During storage at 13 °C, in both years, spinach grown in the high tunnels had 1.2 to 2.3% higher water content than spinach grown in the open field. In the second year, high tunnel spinach stored at 13 °C had a lower respiration rate (P

This manual was developed using information compiled during the National Mango Board-sponsored 2007-09 research project "Monitoring and evaluation of the mango supply chain to improve mango quality" (conducted from December 2007 through April 2009). It includes quality-control procedures to use when monitoring the maturity and quality of mangos in commercial handling operations in the USA. Extract from the table of contents: harvest and postharvest process map for fresh mangos; harvest; transport to packinghouses and to retail stores; post-hot-water treatment cooling; cooling prior to shipping; storage rooms; storage at importer/distribution center; mango ripening; storage in walk-in coolers at stores; palletization and staging for cooling/storage/shipping; unloading at stores/holding on docks at stores; stocking and display preparation and rotation. In the appendix: quality control procedures; determining mango fruit maturity; temperature management practices; measuring relative humidity, air velocity, and pressure drops in storage rooms, trailers, or containers; trailer and container inspection and loading practices; refrigerated container/trailer loading diagram; evaluating mango ripening facilities and practices; causes and symptoms of the major defects; mango quality assessment procedures. The manual can be downloaded from: http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/datastorefiles/234-1904.pdf.

Vegetable grafting has primarily been used in the commercial production of high-value crops in the Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae families. In this study, we explored the feasibility of making a novel graft between pac choi (Brassica rapa L. var. chinensis) and daikon radish (Raphanus sativus L. var. longipinnatus) to create a plant with harvestable pac choi leafy vegetable above-ground, and a daikon radish taproot below-ground. ‘Mei Qing Choi’ pac choi (scion) was grafted onto ‘Bora King’ daikon radish (rootstock). Grafted pac choi–daikon radish plants did not show a decrease in SPAD value, canopy size, leaf number, leaf area, or above-ground weight compared with self-grafted pac choi plants. However, taproot formation was reduced in grafted pac choi–daikon radish plants, as shown by decreased taproot length, diameter, fresh weight, and dry weight compared with non- and self-grafted daikon radish plants. Surprisingly, grafting with radish increased the photosynthetic rate of the pac choi. This pilot study demonstrated the potential of creating a new pac choi–daikon radish vegetable product to help save growing space and minimize waste at consumption, as pac choi roots are not eaten and radish leaves are usually discarded. The inter-generic grafting between B. rapa var. chinensis and R. sativus var. longipinnatus could also provide a unique model system to help elucidate scion-rootstock synergy and above- and below-ground sink competition in horticultural crops.

Designing modified atmosphere packages (MAPs) for fresh produce requires respiration rate (RR) data. A steady-state (SS) approach is widely used but is expensive, tedious, and time-consuming. Unsteady-state (USS) methods mitigate shortcomings of the SS approach, but comparisons between the two approaches have not been done to verify the design outcomes of MAPs, especially those with microperforations. RR measurement methods for grape tomatoes and blueberries were compared. Data were then used to design microperforated MAP packages to compare predicted design specifications created from RR data with observed shelf life. Results show that the USS method provides similar magnitudes of RR and predicts similar numbers of perforations as the SS method. Observations of packages produced using 100 µm perforations, using measured respiration data, suggest that both methods underestimated what might have been deemed correct by about one microperforation. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Designing packaging for fresh produce requires the knowledge of produce respiration. Steady-state methods are conceptually simple, but time-consuming. Unsteady-state methods are rapid. This work compares methods on design of packages.

Tree-ripe mangoes are of a better quality than the more commonly marketed mature-green fruit. However, the postharvest life of tree-ripe mangoes at the chilling threshold temperature for mature-green fruit of 12 °C is insufficient to allow long distance transport for international marketing. Because the chilling sensitivity often decreases as fruit ripen, lower temperatures (5 and 8 °C) in combination with a controlled atmosphere of 5 kPa OTree-ripe 'Tommy Atkins' and 'Keitt' mangoes were stored for 14 or 21 days, respectively, in air or controlled atmosphere (CA) at 5 or 8 °C. Respiration rates were below 10 mL kgStorage of tree-ripe mangoes in 5 kPa O

Sweetpotato quality is mainly determined by physical traits such as firm texture, smooth surface, uniform shape, size and color, and freedom from defects such as cracks, cuts, bruises, abrasions, decay, and insect damage. Culinary quality is determined mainly by starch and sugar concentrations. The main causes of sweetpotato quality loss during storage are improper curing, water loss, and chilling injury (CI). The use of optimum storage conditions such as temperatures same as the chilling threshold temperature (13°C) and controlled atmosphere (CA)/modified atmosphere (MA) allows storage for longer durations (6–10 months at 13°C and 85%–90% RH), and minimized storage losses due to decay and weight loss. Holding fresh-cut (shredded) sweetpotatoes in a modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) in atmospheres of oxygen and carbon dioxide maintained a smaller microbiological load and higher tissue firmness, dry matter, ascorbic acid, and starch compared with storage in air, but there were no changes in color, β-carotene, and sugars. The innate extended storage potential and propensity for induction of fermentative metabolism at relatively high oxygen concentrations makes the use of CA storage for whole sweetpotatoes less preferable, but it appears that MAP can be beneficial for fresh-cut products.

Controlled and modified atmospheres (CA/MA) work to extend the postharvest life of horticultural crops by supplementing the effect of reduced temperature in slowing the metabolic rate of the crop. Thus optimization of CA/MA conditions must consider the lowest safe temperature for the target crop, which further requires consideration of the variety, maturity or ripeness stage, and expected duration of storage in CA/MA. The optimum CA/MA unavoidably involves using the most extreme reduction of O2 and elevation of CO2 that avoid irreversible physiological injury for a given exposure duration at the optimum temperature. Slight deviations from that anticipated temperature can result in tissue injury due to associated changes in the atmosphere and the tissue response. The foregoing situation necessitates compromise when designing CA/MA systems, especially for products in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), which are most often subject to MA for variable times and temperatures during storage, transportation, and retail display.

Fresh-cut mango should be ripe and ready to eat, with characteristic color, texture, taste, and aroma as the whole fruit. The main causes of quality loss are oxidative browning and tissue translucency, overripening leading to fermentation and other off-odors and off-flavors, browning and desiccation of the cut surface. The use of optimum storage conditions such as temperatures below 5°C and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) help to reduce the quality changes in fresh-cut mango. Atmospheres of oxygen and carbon dioxide have been shown to reduce yeast and total mesophilic aerobic counts on fresh-cut mango thereby preventing spoilage due to microorganisms. Polysaccharide-based materials that are used as edible coatings limit gas exchange, thus creating a modified internal atmosphere in the fresh-cut fruit. Because the duration of postharvest handling for fresh-cut mango is usually short, proper ripeness selection and temperature control are probably more important than modified atmospheres for obtaining the required shelf life. The importance of surface tissue desiccation as a shelf life limiting factor for fresh-cut mango supports the use of moisture barrier packaging and hygroscopic edible coatings to maintain a moist surface.

We used genomic tools to understand senescence and molecular signaling events in harvested broccoli florets stored at 25 or 4 °C to test the hypothesis that genetic markers can be used to identify the stage of senescence or physiological age of plant tissue. The RNA-sequencing approach provided key insights into the gradual changes in transcriptome during postharvest storage in broccoli. We found that 4279 and 4143 transcripts were differentially expressed after 3 and 5 days of storage at the two storage temperatures, respectively. We then performed genome-wide comparisons at 25 and 4 °C and illustrated the temporal and spatial-specific genes in stored broccoli. By using quantitative Real-Time PCR and transient tobacco assay, we validated our RNA-sequencing experiment. We further performed comparative analysis of Arabidopsis and broccoli to disclose conserved senescence genes. Concurrently, we found that 43 genes were senescence-specific genes that are common senescence-associated genes (SAGs) regardless of tissue-specific expression. Interestingly, we observed 73 transcription factors (TFs) within this group that might form a core transcriptional regulatory circuitry to control the onset and progression of senescence. Moreover, we also identified new molecular players involved in postharvest senescence including brassinosteroids (BR) perception genes, BIK1 (Brassinosteroid-Interacting Kinase1), BRL1 (BRI1-like 1), BIR1 (BAK1-Inteacting Receptor-Like Kinase 1), stomatal patterning gene SPCH, and circadian clock genes CCA1. Those genes could serve as ‘freshness-indicators’ for the stage of senescence or relative freshness of the product. This report identified the SAGs that are essential for tissue-specific senescence and provided fundamental insights into signaling events during postharvest senescence in Brassica plants.

The successful management of a research, teaching and/or extension/outreach program in postharvest today requires skills beyond the fundamental scientific and technical skills taught traditionally in Graduate School. Administrators and funders are no longer satisfied with the number of publications and students graduated as metrics of academic success. Impact factors, students’ placement, and clients’ adoption of research results are now the norm. Research, teaching and extension/outreach activities are becoming integrated, which benefits the total program. Besides publishing and teaching, faculty members at major universities are also responsible for grant writing and overall program finances management, hiring and mentoring students and staff, accommodating the needs of different generations in the workplace, and maintaining the certification and safety of laboratories. Success in all these areas ultimately determines the scientific success of a program. Using the example of postharvest programs at the University of Florida, this paper (1) outlines traditional academic programs, the business model applied to academia, and measures of success at academic institutions, (2) describes the legal environment in universities, and (3) presents the scientific and core competencies for today’s PIs.

Harvesting before ripening initiation (i.e., mature green) may negatively affect the flavor of fresh tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) even though the ripening process off the vine is physiologically the same as that on the plant. Low temperature storage at or below the putative chilling injury (CI) threshold can also have detrimental effects on fresh tomato flavor regardless of the developmental stage of the fruit at harvest, but sensitivity to CI declines with ripening. Controlled atmospheres (CA) using reduced oxygen and elevated carbon dioxide partial pressures can extend the shelf life (SL) of tomatoes while possibly minimizing the negative effects of low temperatures. In this study, we explored the possibility that a combination of temperature and CA could be used to achieve similar SL for pink-harvested tomatoes as has been found in other studies with green-harvested fruit while avoiding the negative effects of CI on sensory quality. Consumer panels were given samples of pink-harvested tomatoes after they had reached the red ripeness stage in terms of surface hue following storage for 7 days in air or CA at 7.5, 15, or 20 °C followed by 2–7 days ripening in air at 20 °C. Exposing pink tomatoes to 7.5 °C before ripening to the full-red stage at 20 °C negatively affected fruit sensory quality, holding fruit constantly at 20 °C until they reached the full-red stage resulted in better quality for one taste panel, whereas there was no difference in another taste panel. The time to reach the full-red stage was extended by CA. Sensory quality of air- and CA-stored fruit was similar at the nonchilling temperatures of 15 and 20 °C. Pink stage tomato fruit stored in CA at 7.5 °C for 7 days did not attain full red color within the subsequent 7 days in air at 20 °C.

Air transport has unique characteristics that are essential for the transport of perishable products. However, temperature variations during air transport operations may be detrimental to temperature-sensitive products such as fresh horticultural crops, seafood, pharmaceuticals, and others. The literature on the subject remains scarce. In-flight temperatures were monitored during six international shipments using an aircraft container loaded with simulated perishable products. Results highlighted the overriding impact of solar radiation on temperature distribution within aircraft containers during ramp transfers. Extended ramp transfer durations were observed, and for three shipments the total time, outside, on the tarmac exceeded 11 h, resulting in an average product temperature increase of as much as 13°C. In-flight conditions had a smaller impact on the temperature distribution within the load of products. Tests indicated that the core region of the load was exposed to the smallest rate of heat transfer, and the top layer was exposed to the largest rate of heat transfer. Cold room storage of a fully loaded aircraft container proved to be a very inefficient cooling method. Keywords: Aircraft container, Horticultural products, In-flight, Perishables, Ramp, Tarmac.

Grafting is considered to be a unique component in sustainable vegetable production. In addition to its usefulness for managing soil-borne diseases, it has been suggested that grafting with vigorous rootstocks can improve crop growth and yield. The objective of this greenhouse study was to assess the effects of different interspecific hybrid tomato rootstocks (Solanum lycopersicum × Solanum habrochaites) on yield, growth, nutrient accumulation, and fruit composition of tomato (S. lycopersicum). Using the determinate tomato cultivar Florida 47 as the scion, plants were grafted onto four interspecific rootstock cultivars including Beaufort, Maxifort, Multifort, and RST-04-105. Overall, the use of rootstocks resulted in total and marketable fruit increase 53% and 66% higher than non-grafted and self-grafted scion plants, respectively. The increase in marketable yield by ‘Beaufort’, ‘Maxifort’, and ‘Multifort’ was largely attributed to an increased number of fruit per plant, whereas higher average fruit weight contributed to the yield increase in plants grafted onto ‘RST-04-105’. Self-grafting of ‘Florida 47’ resulted in similar yield as the non-grafted scion control. Analyses of plant growth parameters demonstrated significant enhancement of total leaf area at first fruit harvest in plants grafted onto interspecific rootstocks as compared with the non-grafted and self-grafted scion controls. In addition to plant growth and yield improvement, enhanced accumulation of nitrogen, potassium, and calcium was also observed in grafted plants. The enhancement in mineral nutrient accumulation was largely related to increased biomass accumulation rather than higher nutrient concentration (on a dry weight basis). The overall accumulation of phosphorus was not influenced markedly by the rootstocks used. In general, grafting with the interspecific rootstocks maintained fruit soluble solids content (SSC) and total titratable acidity (TTA), concentrations of vitamin C, carotenoids, and total phenolics at levels comparable with non-grafted plants, whereas harvest date showed a more pronounced effect on fruit composition.

Improper postharvest handling often impairs horticultural quality even when damage is visually imperceptible. In this study, tomato fruit were subjected to controlled compressive forces (196.13 N) and the effects of this mechanical damage were evaluated. The following parameters were assessed: production of CO2, ethylene (C2H4), color, enzymatic activity (LOX, HPL and ADH) and volatile compounds. Ethylene production increased in tomatoes subjected to compression. Damaged tomatoes were unable to develop the typical red color when compared to the control fruit and showed a transient increase in the activity of the enzymes LOX, HPL and ADH. The imperceptible damage applied to tomatoes modified the profile of volatile compounds produced by the fruit, reducing the emission of compounds perceived as fruity and sweet.

Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is a severe postharvest mango disease. Postharvest application of fungicides is necessary to effectively control this disease, however, many of these fungicides are not allowed in many countries. In this study we aimed to investigate the combined effect of 1% chitosan plus 400 μLL−1 thyme oil to control anthracnose and improve shelf life of mango fruit (cv. White Chaunsa). We found that 400 μL L-1 thyme oil can completely inhibit in vitro mycelial growth of the fungus C. gloeosporioides. However, the combined application of 1% chitosan plus 400 μL L−1 thyme oil was more effective than thyme oil (400 μL L-1) alone in controlling the disease in artificially inoculated mango fruit. Furthermore, this combined treatment significantly (P ≤ 0.05) decreased naturally occurring decay. A mechanism related to promotion of fruit resistance by stimulation of phenolic metabolism is suggested by elevated phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and peroxidase (POD) activities as compared to both the control and the synthetic fungicide Prochloraz. In addition, retention of physicochemical properties such as titratable acidity, total soluble solids, firmness, weight loss, color, and higher scores for sensory perception confirmed the efficacy of the treatment. This study demonstrated that the application of 1% chitosan plus 400 μL L-1 thyme oil more effectively controlled mango anthracnose as compared to synthetic fungicide; however, the commercial efficacy of the treatment needs to be tested.

In this paper, we conduct a statistical and temporal analysis to analyze dynamic factors for the temporal heterogeneity, complexity, similarity, and discrepancy on a novel location aware multivariate time series dataset. The dataset represents the temperature variations across 6 different shipments with 9 sensors in each shipment monitoring and recording sensory data at 15 − min intervals across multiple days. Each container had three instrumented pallets where each pallet had a temperature sensor placed near the top, middle and the bottom of the pallet for a total of nine sensors in each shipment. The goal of this paper is to primarily introduce the dataset, make it available to other researchers, provide its descriptive statistics with some time series visualization, and time-series statistical and temporal analysis. Finally, Potential use − cases of machine learning and data analytics are discussed for a few application domains.

In this study, the effects of grafting with interspecific hybrid rootstocks on field-grown tomato fruit quality were evaluated over a 2-year period. Fruit quality attributes from determinate ‘Florida 47’ tomato plants grafted onto either ‘Beaufort’ or ‘Multifort’ rootstocks were compared with those from non- and self-grafted controls. Grafted plants had higher fruit yields than non- and self-grafted plants, and increased production of marketable fruit by ≈41%. The increased yield was accompanied by few major differences in nutritional quality attributes measured for these fruit. Although grafting with the interspecific rootstocks led to consistently small, but significant increases of fruit moisture (≈0.6%), flavor attributes such as total titratable acidity (TTA) and the ratio of soluble solids content (SSC) to TTA were not significantly altered. Among the antioxidants evaluated, ascorbic acid concentration was reduced by 22% in fruit from grafted plants, but significant effects were not evident for either total phenolics or antioxidant capacity as assayed by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Levels of carotenoids (lycopene, β-carotene, and lutein) were similar in fruit from grafted plants with hybrid rootstocks compared with non- and self-grafted controls. Overall, the seasonal differences outweighed the grafting effects on fruit quality attributes. This study showed that grafting with interspecific hybrid rootstocks could be an effective horticultural technique for enhancing fruit yield of tomato plants. Despite the modest reduction in ascorbic acid content associated with the use of these rootstocks, grafting did not cause major negative impacts on fruit composition or nutritional quality of fresh-market tomatoes.

Background Nitrogen is a key component of crop production and is commonly related to increases in yield and fruit size. The N fertilization rates used for low-chill peach cultivars were adapted from other peach production regions, where environmental and soil conditions are different. The growth and production as well as the effect on fruit physical and compositional attributes of two low-chill peach cultivars - 'TropicBeauty' (TB) and 'UFSharp' (UFS) - with five different N fertilization rates (0 (N0), 45 (N1), 90 (N2), 179 (N3) and 269 (N4) kg ha-1 applied each year from 2011 to 2017) were examined. Results Peach trees under higher N rates had higher pruning weights compared to the lower N0 or N1 rates. Yield was only affected in 2017 for the two cultivars tested. Physical attributes were inconsistently affected by N. Fruit from the higher N rates had lower a* value (more green) than fruit from the trees under low or zero N. While fruit firmness was not affected by N, fruit from trees under zero/low N had higher total soluble solids in some years. Conclusion Considering that N is recycled in the trees, being retained and reused each season to resume growth, it is important to address peach orchard fertilization based on peach tree N status. The results of this experiment show that an increase in N beyond what is required for tree maintenance does not increase yield. In addition, reducing N does not strongly affect fruit quality, although the color and soluble solids results suggest that lower N rates may advance fruit maturation. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

The importance of protecting perishable foods from loss of quality during transport has long been recognized. Increased recognition of the importance of the transport link in the food distribution cold chain in securing the safety of perishable foods has more recently become as well recognized. This updated edition reflects the dynamic changes and innovations in the handling and transportation of perishable foods. Some of these include improved insulation and air movement, microprocessors for more efficient refrigeration, expert systems to control the transport environment and conserve fuel energy, and the use of telematics to monitor and control the performance of refrigerated vehicles during transit. This edition includes descriptions and recommendations for food transported over the road and by rail in marine containers, as well as in railcars. This 214-page revision was written by J. K. Brecht, Steven A. Sargent, Patrick E. Brecht, Jorge Saenz, and Leonard Rodowick and published by the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department in cooperation with the USDA AMS Transportation Services Division. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1328

Fruit size is an important factor in a fruit crop’s marketability. This 6-page document discusses fruit thinning, a process that is critical to achieving larger-sized peaches, and thus is critical to the success of peaches grown in Florida. Written by Yuru Chang, Ali Sarkhosh, Jeffrey Brecht, and Peter Andersen and published by the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department, January 2018. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1324