Storage and Storage Potential of Sweet Cherries (Prunus aviumL.) as Related to Respiration Rate

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Abstract
The effect of different storage conditions on fruit rot development and weight loss of sweet cherries was investigated during the seasons 1983 and 1985. At low temperatures (0 and 4°C) fruit rot development was distinctly slower than at 8, 12 and 20°C. Carbon dioxide evolution from sweet cherry fruits during storage showed strong temperature dependence, increasing from approximately 20 mg·kg-1 ·hour-1 at 0°C to more than 120 mg·kg-1 ·hour-1 at 20°C storage temperature. The carbon dioxide evolution from mechanically injured fruits was significantly higher than from undamaged fruits. Weight loss decreased significantly with increasing relative humidity in the storage atmosphere. The stems of sweet cherries were found to have higher levels of both weight loss and carbon dioxide evolution than the rest of the fruit, although being of minor significance because of the small weight percentage of the stems compared to the whole fruits. Predicting storage potential of sweet cherries based on respiration measurements is discussed.