Long-Term Storage of On-Tree Alcohol-Treated `Hiratanenashi' Persimmons in a "Yukimuro" Snow Room

We investigated the storability of on-tree alcohol-treated ` Hiratanenashi' persimmons in a " Yukimuro" snow room. A "Yukimuro" is a storehouse containing a lot of snow. Astringent ` Hiratanenashi' persimmons were individually covered on the tree with a polyethylene bag that contained silica ethanol for two days in late September to remove their astringency. The persimmons, which were harvested when their color had fully developed, were packed individually in plastic film and stored in a " Yukimuro" from late autumn to the next spring. Fruit without packaging was also stored as a control. We maintained a temperature of 0 degrees C +/- 2 degrees C and a relative humidity of about 100%. Half of the fruit without packaging had lost its commercial quality by about 70 days because of flesh softening or mould and fungi infections. In contrast, the half of the fruit packed in plastic film retained its marketability for more than 5 months, but the fresh taste of the fruit gradually declined in sweetness and flavor.