EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES TO MAINTAIN POSTHARVEST QUALITY AND CONTROL DECAY OF FRESH COMMODITIES

This project includes multidisciplinary work on maintaining the quality of California-grown fresh commodities. Research will be conducted on the effects of postharvest treatments on injury and decay, the relation between fruit phenology and susceptibility to decay, and the effects of postharvest treatments on the composition of fresh commodities. This research seeks to: 1) Minimize postharvest decay losses of citrus and grapes using microbial biological control, generally-recognized-as-safe (GRAS) or reduced-risk compounds, and thermal treatments. 2) Identify and quantify morphological features (e.g. pericarp thickness, porosity, cell density) and constitutive or inducible biochemical constituents (e.g. phytoalexins, PR proteins, phenolic compounds) in grape selections that could mediate resistance to Uncinula necator and Botrytis cinerea. 3) Determine the relationship of antioxidants with peel quality in lemons and fruit volatile content, brix and acidity on consumer acceptance of navel oranges as influenced by maturity and postharvest handling.