Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/67288
WHAT IS KNOWN aboutMCP M But packers will also need to have the discipline to treat and package fruit to ship to a specific place within a specific time frame and not be tempted to send it to another buyer instead, he said. Variable Jordan Matson, warehouse manager with Matson Fruit Company, Selah, Washington, said his company has seen variable responses in treated Bartletts. Some pears became overripe, while others didn't ripen well. Commenting on research showing that conditioning at 68°F for five days after storage can enhance the ripenabil- ity of treated pears, Matson said it would be challenging on a commercial scale to warm up the pears for a specific time because of the large volumes of fruit being handled. "You almost need forced air to warm it up to get a con- sistent five days—if that's what you're trying to do—and forced air to cool it back down," he said. Another obstacle to using it on Bartlett pears is that pear canners will not accept MCP-treated fruit, Matson Amano Time Clocks Save You Money ore is known about treating Bartlett pears than d'Anjous, Bosc, or other varieties, says Welcome Sauer, president of AgroFresh, which markets SmartFresh. In general: • MCP-treated pears sold earlier in the season take longer to ripen. • Pears stored longer ripen more quickly. said. "If you treat it in the bin and want to run some third- grade or off sizes to the cannery, the canneries definitely don't want SmartFresh." If there were some protocol that canners could use to ripen treated pears, that would open up the possibility of producers using it more on Bartletts, he said. Argentina Sauer said there are innovative packers around the world who are successfully treating pears with Smart- Fresh, but they are not sharing their secrets with their competitors. Argentine pear packers are using more SmartFresh than Washington producers are. "Argentina is a couple of years ahead of Washington State in this technology," he said. "We have shippers in Argentina who are storing Bartlett pears for six months at least in regular-atmosphere storage and selling a beautifully conditioned pear in the marketplace." Dr. Enrique Sanchez, researcher with the National Institute for Agricultural Technology at General Roca, • Treated pears stored in CA ripen more slowly afterwards. • Pears treated with MCP too early might not respond well. • Pears treated too late might be past the response zone. • Every variety acts differently to MCP in every region of the world. Argentina, said Packham, an important pear variety in that country, tends to develop scald in storage, and SmartFresh will be an important alternative to ethoxyquin, which will be banned in Europe this year. The United Kingdom is the only European market that will not accept SmartFresh-treated pears, he added. Sanchez said the main pear shippers in Argentina are using SmartFresh and finding that treated pears take longer to ripen. Sauer said experience with treated Bartletts has shown that they can take longer to ripen to between three and five pounds pressure (which he refers to as the consumer zone of acceptance), but they stay within that zone for much longer than untreated fruit, which continue to soften and deteriorate. "I think that's a really desirable outcome," he said. "That's what we're shooting for. I think over the next couple of years, we'll learn a lot more and start to come to an agreement about what's best." • APPLES ON VAPOR GARD® Reduced %Sunburn Cullage Increased%Washington Extra Fancy Red Delicious Varieties Reduced Gala Stem-End Splitting Globally Tested, Proven Success With automatic hours calculation right on the card, the MJR-7000 saves you time AND money every day. Come in today and learn how you can control your labor costs with an Amano time clock. CHERRIES 310 E. Chestnut, Yakima, WA 98901 509-453-7115 q 800-327-9198 Serving Central Washington for over 100 Years www.goodfruit.com ON VAPOR GARD® Increased Size & Yield (with early application) Reduced Splitting (from untimely rain) Increased Shelf Life (greener stems) SEE THE LABEL FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS MILLER CHEMICAL & FERTILIZER CORPORATION 800-233-2040 GOOD FRUIT GROWER JUNE 2012 37 No Generic Substitute! There Is