Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- 1 The growing of apples and pears
- 2 Apples and pears and their relatives
- 3 Apple and pear root systems: induction, development, structure and function
- 4 The graft union, grafting and budding
- 5 Mechanisms of rootstock and interstock effects on scion vigour
- 6 The shoot system
- 7 Leaves, canopies and light interception
- 8 Photosynthesis, respiration, and carbohydrate transport, partitioning and storage
- 9 Flowers and fruits
- 10 Eating quality and its retention
- 11 Mineral nutrition
- 12 Water relations
- 13 Diseases, pests, and resistance to these
- 14 Biotechnology of apples and pears
- Cultivar Index
- General Index
- References
10 - Eating quality and its retention
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 August 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- 1 The growing of apples and pears
- 2 Apples and pears and their relatives
- 3 Apple and pear root systems: induction, development, structure and function
- 4 The graft union, grafting and budding
- 5 Mechanisms of rootstock and interstock effects on scion vigour
- 6 The shoot system
- 7 Leaves, canopies and light interception
- 8 Photosynthesis, respiration, and carbohydrate transport, partitioning and storage
- 9 Flowers and fruits
- 10 Eating quality and its retention
- 11 Mineral nutrition
- 12 Water relations
- 13 Diseases, pests, and resistance to these
- 14 Biotechnology of apples and pears
- Cultivar Index
- General Index
- References
Summary
Introduction
The market price of fruits depends on their attractiveness and eating quality, which need to be retained for as long as possible after harvest to facilitate the matching of supply to demand.
This market price is of predominant importance in apple and pear production economics because many of the costs are fixed per kilogram and fruits of low perceived value do not meet their costs of production. Fruit quality is therefore a key determinant controlling the cultivars that are grown. Attainment of a specific size and, where appropriate, degree of red colour does not guarantee that the fruits are ready to eat, either immediately or after a period of storage. Good appearance after removal from store does not guarantee that eating quality has been maintained. Eating quality is based on developmental processes of maturation, ripening and senescence (Watada et al., 1984).
Maturation is the process leading to physiological or horticultural maturity. Physiological maturity is the stage of development when the fruit will continue ontogeny even if detached. Horticultural maturity is when the fruit meets the criteria laid down by consumers.
Ripening is the sum of the processes from the later stages of growth through to the early stages of senescence, that result in the attainment of the characteristic eating quality.
Senescence involves those processes following maturity that lead to death.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Biology of Apples and Pears , pp. 341 - 383Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2003
References
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