- Author: Brooke Jacobs
Published on: November 15, 2013
Post By:
Carlos H. Crisosto
Director of UC Fruit & Nut Research and Information Center
Department of Plant Sciences
University of California, Davis
Minimum maturity is based on skin color changes from green to orange or reddish-orange for ‘Hachiya’ or to yellowish-green or yellow for ‘Fuyu,’ ‘California Fuyu,’ and ‘Jiro.’ Optimum storage conditions are 32 + 2oF fruit temperature and 90-95% air relative humidity. Postharvest life under optimum ethylene-free air storage conditions can be up to 3 months vs. 5 months in optimum, ethylene-free CA conditions. ‘Fuyu’ and similar non-astringent cultivars are chilling-sensitive at temperatures between 41o and 59oF (5o and 15oC) and will exhibit flesh browning and fast softening. Persimmons are very sensitive to ethylene action and exposure to ethylene aggravates chilling injury at these temperatures. Exposure to 1 ppm and 10 ppm ethylene at 20oC (68oF) accelerates softening to less than 4 lb-force (limit of marketability) after 6 and 2 days, respectively. Thus, ethylene removal and/or exclusion from transport and storage facilities are highly recommended. I have seen good protection against ethylene by using 1-MCP.
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