Review Article

Postharvest quality in stone fruits is ultimately defined in terms of consumer satisfaction, and includes appearance, texture and flavor, and nutritional value and safety. These result from all decisions and practices beginning with site and cultivar selection, and extending through cultural practices and all stages of postharvest handling. The development of high quality fruit is influenced by such cultural practices as mineral nutrition, irrigation, tree training, pruning and fruit thinning. Harvest maturity is of special importance because of the detrimental effects on quality of harvesting at either too low or too high a maturity. Fruit deterioration, from such factors as fruit rotting organisms, water loss, mechanical bruising and physiological disorders, will adversely impact quality in the market. Of special concern is the need to rapidly cool stone fruits and maintain them near 0C throughout marketing. Only by attention to all aspects of production and postharvest handling can high quality be achieved and protected in fresh stone fruits.