Seasonal variability of the response of desert lemons to rind injury and decay caused by quarantine cold treatments

Early-season (September-October) California-Arizona desert lemons held at 0-2.2°C (mean 1°C) for 2, 4 or 6 weeks showed greater chilling injury than did mid- (January) or late-season (February-March) fruit. More lemons were injured and the symptoms were more severe the longer the fruit was held at 1°C. There was no chilling injury to lemons stored at 5 or 10°C. Curing fruit for one week at 15°C before cold-treatment at 1°C significantly reduced the incidence and severity of chilling injury. Rind injury that developed on cured fruit held at 1°C for two or four weeks for Tephritid fruit fly quarantine purposes was within acceptable levels for mid- and late-season lemons, and may also be acceptable for the early-season lemons if the slight injury to this fruit is disregarded and quarantine treatments are for two or three weeks only.