Postharvest properties of sweet cherry fruit depending on rootstock and storage conditions

'Regina' sweet cherry fruit (Prunus avium L.) harvested from trees grown on vigorous and semi-dwarfing rootstocks was stored in normal atmosphere (NA) at 8 degrees C and 2 degrees C, and in a controlled atmosphere (CA) 3% O-2 + 5% CO2 at 2 degrees C for two weeks. At harvest time, the fruits differed in the measured quality parameters (firmness, soluble solids content - SSC, titratable acidity - TA) depending on the rootstock. The storage conditions and the rootstocks significantly influenced the fruit quality parameters after storage. Generally, reduced fruit firmness and TA, and higher SSC and SSC/TA ratio were observed at the end of the storage period. Among the rootstocks, the lowest soluble solids content was found in the fruit from trees on the vigorous F12/1 rootstock. The lower storage temperature decreased the SSC independently of the storage atmosphere composition. Firmer fruit was found in CA 2 degrees C compared with the other two treatments. The greatest loss of weight was found after fruit storage in NA 8 degrees C. The extent of fruit decay depended on the season, storage conditions and the rootstock. Storage in NA 8 degrees C of the fruit grown on F12/1 rootstock resulted in the highest percentage of fungal decay. The best retention of the green colour of the peduncle was noted in CA 2 degrees C. The findings on how the rootstocks affect sweet cherry fruit properties can be useful for sweet cherry breeding programmes, as well as for sweet cherry crop production and storage technologies.