Conditioning Florida Grapefruit to Reduce Chilling Injury during Low-temperature Storage1

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Abstract
Reduction of chilling injury (CI) during 1°C storage by conditioning treatments was determined on early (1975–76 test), midseason and late (1977–78 and 1978–79 tests) ‘Marsh’ and ‘Ruby Red’ grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macf.). Constant storage at 1° for 28 days resulted in excessive CI; however, conditioning the fruit for 7 days at 10°, 16°, or 21° significantly reduced CI during 21 days of storage at 1°. Conditioning for fewer than 7 days resulted in significantly more CI. Treatment with 40% CO2 during 3 days of conditioning at 21° also reduced CI during low-temperature storage. Conditioning for 7 days at 10°, 16°, or 21° followed by a gradual lowering of the temperature to 1° was also effective. Placing the fruit at 10° for 14 days after 21 days of storage at 1° had no adverse effects; neither did an additional holding period of 7 days at 21°. Decay, mostly green mold rot caused by Penicillium digitatum Sacc., was negligible during storage but increased at 21°. At 21°, decay was sometimes related to the extent of CI during storage.

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