QUALITY, MATURITY, AND STORAGE OF ASIAN PEARS GROWN IN CENTRAL WASHINGTON

Asian pear (Pyrus serotina Rehder) growers must know the appropriate harvest conditions and storage potential for their crop. To determine appropriate harvest indices and storage potential of eight Asian pear cultivars, fruit grown in the Columbia basin of central Washington were harvested weekly for 10 wk. Fruit characteristics (diameter, firmness, starch content, soluble solids content, and titratable acidity) were measured at harvest, at harvest plus 2 wk at room temperature, after 3 mo of cold storage at 31-degrees-F, and after cold storage plus 2 wk at room temperature. 'Shinseiki' was among the first to mature and 'Niitaka' was among the last. 'Chojuro' and 'Hosui' developed the highest soluble solids at harvest and 'Shinko' was lowest. Titratable acidity at harvest was highest for '20th Century', Shinko, and Shinseiki. 'Seigyoku' and Hosui stored well at 31-degrees-F for 90 d while Niitaka and Shinko stored poorly. Differences among cultivars were substantial with respect to harvest timing, fruit characteristics at harvest, and storability. Multiple pickings of 20th Century, Chojuro, Seigyoku, and Shinseiki were indicated in order to obtain fruit with the best storage potential. Seigyoku and Hosui held up better in storage than the other cultivars. Niitaka was unique in that 2 wk at room temperature immediately after harvest had no deleterious effects on fruit quality. The starch index, fruit firmness, and soluble solids appeared to be the most practical criteria upon which to base mature-fruit harvest.