Faculty contact:  Chris Watkins

Postharvest management research involves both basic and applied aspects of fruit physiology, including:

• Biochemical and molecular responses of fruit to storage conditions such as temperature, low oxygen and high carbon dioxide concentration that affect development of physiological fruit disorders during storage.
• Effects of maturity, handling practices and storage modifications on fruit quality.
• Effects of preharvest factors on postharvest storage quality.

Much of our work involves developing the knowledge required to use of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), a new ethylene-binding inhibitor which has the potential to profoundly improve storability of apples and other horticultural products in New York and around the world. We are also conducting research on new cultivars of importance to New York, with particular emphasis on the maturity and storage problems of 'Honeycrisp'.

For more information, see Cornell Fruit Handling & Storage Newsletter and our 1-MCP bibliography.