ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of postharvest physiology processes in relation to the postharvest quality of fruits and vegetables. Preharvest factors determine most of the quality of plant produce including fruits and vegetables, and postharvest management must ensure that harvest quality deterioration is minimized. The climatic conditions, such as temperature, humidity, light, wind, soil texture, elevation, and rain fall, significantly influence fruit and vegetable quality. Fertilizer addition affects the mineral content of fruit, while other cultural practices such as pruning and thinning may influence nutritional composition by changing fruit crop load and size. Light may influence the quality of fruit and vegetables by controlling the synthesis/degradation of pigments responsible for color, flavor by catalyzing the oxidation of lipids, sprouting, reducing nutritive value by degrading vitamins such as ascorbic acid and riboflavin, and production of toxins. The origin and development of plants influence physiological aspects of fruit and vegetables.
