ABSTRACT
Postharvest pitting has severely impacted both the exported and domestic citrus industries since it was found in 1994. It has resulted in substantial economic losses of grapefruit and specialty finit. Studies in the past confirmed that wax application and storage temperature affect postharvest pitting incidence. In this paper, the influence of various storage temperatures and duration of precooling on pitting incidence was investigated. White ‘Marsh’ grapefruit and ‘Fallglo’ tangerines were coated with commercially available waxes. Packed fruit were moved to a cooler at various delayed durations or stored immediately after packing at different storage temperatures. Studies showed that a cooling delay of 24 hours or longer significantly increased the pitting incidence of‘Marsh’ white grapefruit and ‘Fallglo’ tangerines. Susceptible citrus fruit should be cooled immediately after packing. The optimal storage and transit temperatures are 45°F (7°C) for grapefruit and 35-45°F (2-7°C) for tangerines, respectively. Consistent optimal temperature management during shipment and storage is critical to control pitting and increase the net return for the citrus industry.
