Influence of prestorage conditioning treatment and optimal temperature and humidity for prolonged storage of 'Kiyomi' tangor

Abstract

'Kiyomi' tangor (Citrus unshiu Marc. x C. sinensis Osb.) fruit held at ambient temperature and humidity for one to two weeks (prestorage conditioning) prior to storing them at various cold temperatures and humidities were compared with fruit stored directly without prestorage treatment to seek means of preventing rind injury. The conditioning treatment increased the occurrence of rind injury as brown spotting, while symptoms of chilling injury appeared as pitting on fruit stored at 1°C. Rind injury occurred early during storage at 12°C, whereas it developed slowly at 5-6°C , especially under high relative humidity (RH). 'Kiyomi' fruit, stored at 6°C and >98% RH without prestorage conditioning, remained sound with little or no rind injury for 5 months after harvest.