ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with postharvest physiology, many of the responses of edible plant tissues are greatly affected by cultivar selection and preharvest management. It describes incorporating knowledge about responses of plant tissue to ethylene into postharvest technologies. The chapter discusses the involvement of phenolics in postharvest physiology of edible plant tissues is extensive because of the aforementioned roles in appearance, taste, and flavor. It also discusses each fruit and vegetable, and sometimes the cultivar within a species, has specific storage requirements that represent an integration of the factors. Utilization of postharvest technologies to slow down metabolic processes associated with senescence and ripening of perishable plant tissues, whether whole or fresh-cut, is essential to maintain quality after harvest. Postharvest technologies help maintain quality of edible plant tissues by linking production with consumption, adding value, extending marketing periods, and enabling new markets to be accessed.
