Effect of Paper Wraps on Postharvest Decay and Disorders of Anjou Pear Fruit
Author: Peter G. Sanderson
Published: 2000
Summary: Washington pears are wrapped in tissue paper at packing to protect fruit from damage during shipping. In addition, wraps are commonly impregnated with either oil, copper, or ethoxyquin, alone or in combination, to prevent superficial scald and the spread of decay, especially gray mold (caused by Botrytis cinerea Pers.: Fr), in packed fruit. The effectiveness of paper treatments in preventing spread of decay has not been formally assessed. Oil wraps were used to prevent storage scald prior to the introduction of ethoxyquin treatments, either as wraps, line sprays, or drenches. In recent years however, oil wraps have been implicated with the occurrence of other fruit skin disorders, especially calyx-end browning (CEB [= DSD]).