Storage quality of ethylene treated 'Anjou' and 'Bosc' winter pears

'Anjou' and 'Bosc' pears (Pyrus communis, L.) were harvested one to two days prior to commercial harvested om three orchards in the Wenatchee growing district of Washington. Harvested fruit were treated with 300 ppm ethylene for three days at 20C. Ethylene treatment enhanced yellow color on fruit peel and the reduction of flesh firmness, and increased spoilage after 90 days in either regular atmosphere (RA) storage or controlled atmosphere (CA) storage regardless of cultivar. Ethylene-treated fruit, of both cultivars, stored in CA had a longer storage life than fruit stored in R4. The safe storage period of ethylene-treated 'Anjou' and 'Bosc' pears was 90 and 45 days, respectively in RA and 120 and 90 days, respectively, in CA.