EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON RIPENING AND POSTHARVEST LIFE OF FRUIT OF ATEMOYA (ANNONA-CHERIMOLA MILL X A-SQUAMOSA L) CV AFRICAN PRIDE

Fruit ripened most quickly and with good flavour at 28°C, while ripening was slower and the quality impaired at 32°C. Fruit stored at 4°C and high humidity developed symptoms of chilling injury (blackening of skin and browning of flesh) after 2 days, although even after 5 days at 4°C fruit ripened at 20°C with very good flavour. Fruit withstood 5 days at 8°C without detectable deterioration in appearance or flavour, but the total post-harvest life (TPHL) of 9 days was hardly better than that at 12°C (8.5 days). At 12°C, fruit deteriorated in appearance after 6 days, although the flavour remained very good up to 10 days storage. The maximum TPHL achieved without significant damage to fruit was 9.4 days with 6 days at 12°C or 9.1 days with 5 days at 8°C. This compares with a ripening time of 4.8 days at 20°C. © 1990.