Induction of Ethylene Production in ‘Bosc’ Pears by Postharvest Cold Stress1

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Abstract
Preclimacteric ‘Bosc’ pears held continuously at 20°C produced ethylene at a very low rate and resisted ripening for 12 days. However, if held at 5 or 10° for the first 7 days, ethylene production at 20° began to increase almost immediately. Rapid and uniform ripening resulted. Storage at 0° was considerably less effective in this regard. Further, the longer pears were held at 5, up to 6 days, the greater was their ethylene production capacity at 23°. Softening lagged behind the onset of autocatalytic ethylene production. Thus, cold stress induces a metabolic change leading to accelerated ethylene production which in turn initiates other ripening reactions in ‘Bosc’ pears.

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