Horticultural Science and Technology 원예과학기술지 ISSN:1226-8763(Print) 2465-8588(Online)

The purpose of this study was to establish postharvest management techniques including a temperature pre-conditioning protocol for maintaining fruit quality in newly developed earlyseason Korean pear cultivar ‘Hanareum’ (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai). The fruits were treated with three different pre-conditioning temperatures (21, 25, or 29°C) for 4 days according to the harvest time (103 or 110 days after full bloom, DAFB). The percent weight loss was relatively low in the fruits subjected to low pre-conditioning temperature regardless of harvest time. The firmness of the fruits treated with pre-conditioning at 21°C remained high during 20 days of simulated marketing at 25°C, although all treated fruits showed a general decline of firmness with extended time of simulated marketing. These fruits also showed higher appearance and a lower incidence of mealiness disorder symptoms. During the experimental periods, the production of ethylene was lower in the fruits pre-conditioned at 21°C in comparison with those of treated at 25 and 29°C. High respiration rates were obvious in the fruits pre-conditioned at high temperature (29°C), especially in the optimum-harvested fruits, where respiration was approximately two times higher than that of fruits exposed to 21°C during pre-conditioning. However, the respiration rate was similar during simulated marketing at 25°C regardless of harvest time. These results demonstrated that temperature pre-conditioning at 21°C is a simple and effective postharvest technique for summer harvested Korean pear cultivars including ‘Hanareum’.