Effects of Different Postharvest Heat Treatments on Decreasing Decay, Reducing Chilling Injury and Maintaining Quality of Nectarine Fruit

The goal of this research was to evaluate the efficiency of heat treated nectarine fruit (Prunus persica var. nectarina ‘Diamond Ray’) on maintaining the quality parameters after 4 week storage in NA (normal atmosphere) at 0°C and 5 days at 20°C (shelf life). Fruits were harvested closer to “ready-to-eat” maturity from a commercial orchard near Zadar (Croatia). The investigated postharvest treatments were hot air (hot air treatment till fruit reaches 45°C near stone – HAT 45/24) and immersion in hot water at a temperature of 48 °C for 6 minutes (HWD 48) and 52°C for 2 minutes (HWD 52). Fruit quality parameters (firmness, soluble solids, total acidity, pH) were also investigated. HAT 45/24 reduced weight loss and maintained firmness more than control or hot water treatments. Overall, heat treatments had a pronounced effect on decreasing decay, reducing chilling injury and maintaining quality of climacteric nectarine fruit. These treatments may extend the storage life by preventing both pathological and physiological disorders.