Environmental and postharvest factors affecting the quality and storage of persimmon (Diospyros kaki) cultivars 'Fuyu' and 'Jiro' in Australia

Survey trials of persimmon fruit (Diospyros kaki) and the following storage trials from Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia were conducted at Maroochy Research Station in south-east Queensland. The purpose of these trials was to determine the extent of the soft fruit disorder problem and variances in fruit quality and storability for the cultivars 'Fuyu' and 'Jiro' in Australia. The postharvest disorder of persimmon in Australia is characterised by the rapid and extensive softening of the fruit soon after harvest. This disorder causes the fruit to be incapable of being stored and transported, rendering the fruit unmarketable. Fruit go directly from the mature phase to the senescent phase, missing the natural ripening phase. Stratified random sampling and correlation and regression analysis was used for the survey trials to determine environmental factors affecting the quality and fully randomised trials designed used for fruit quality and storability trials. Further research trials were also conducted on selected preharvest management and postharvest practices using fully randomised designs to help mitigate this disorder, improve fruit quality and storability. Results show that 1-MCP increased shelf life by 2-3 weeks after storage and combined with modified atmosphere bags reduced the incidence of chilling injury during storage. Results also indicate that the preharvest and postharvest management practices and the environment in which fruit are produced have a significant effect on this soft fruit disorder, fruit quality and the storability of persimmon.