Fruit Produce Facts English
Pear, Bartlett
Recommendations for Maintaining Postharvest Quality
![]() Elizabeth J. Mitcham, Carlos H. Crisosto, and Adel A. Kader
Maturity & Quality
Maturity Indices 'Bartlett' pears attain best eating quality if picked at the mature-green stage and ripened off the tree since they become mealy if ripened on the tree.
1Penetration force with 8 mm (5/16 inch) tip. Quality Indices
Temperature & Controlled Atmosphere
Optimum Temperature -1 to 0°C (30 to 32°F) 90 to 95% Relative Humidity
To calculate heat production multiply ml CO2/kg·hr by 440 to get Btu/ton/day or by 122 to get kcal/metric ton/day.
Responses to Ethylene Mature-green ‘Bartlett' pears can be treated with ethylene at harvest [100 ppm ethylene for 24 to 48 hours at 20 to 25°C (68 to 77°F)] to ensure uniform ripening within 4 to 6 days once fruit are warmed for ripening. The "at harvest" treatment is often referred to as "conditioning". Fruit which has been cold stored for 3 weeks will ripen uniformly without ethylene conditioning. These pears can also be ripened in the presence of ethylene gas (100 ppm ethylene) at 18 to 22°C (64 to 72°F). Optimum CA 1 to 3% O2 + 0 to 3% CO2; for California-grown ‘Bartlett' pears, 1.5 to 2% O2 + 1 to 5% CO2 are recommended for long-term storage of early- and mid- season harvested fruits. For late-season pears, CO2 should be kept below 1% because of the fruit's greater sensitivity to CO2 injury (core and flesh browning). Temperature & Controlled Atmosphere Photos
Disorders
Physiological and Physical Disorders [For more information, see our publication “Management of Fruit Ripening”, available for purchase using our Order Form.] Disorders Photos
Date
May 1996 |
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How to Cite
Author(s) names. Initial publication or update date (located at the top). Title. Link to the specific Produce Fact Sheet webpage (Accessed date)
Example: Cantwell, M. and T. Suslow. 2002. Lettuce, Crisphead: Recommendations for Maintaining Postharvest Quality.
http://ucanr.edu/sites/Postharvest_Technology_Center_/Commodity_Resources/Fact_Sheets/Datastores/Vegetables_English/?uid=19&ds=799 (Accessed January 18, 2014).