Postharvest Curing at High Temperatures Reduces Decay of Individually Sealed Lemons, Pomelos, and Other Citrus Fruit

Curing of sealed lemons of normal and decay-prone types [ Citrus limon (L.) Burm.f] and of sealed Goliath pomelo [ Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck] inhibited postharvest decay without deleterious effects on fruit quality and prevented the development of Penicillium digitatum on inoculated fruit. Curing of nonsealed fruit was less effective in reducing decay than curing sealed fruit and caused prohibitive weight loss, shrinkage, and softening. Curing of sealed and waxed ‘Shamouti’ and ‘Valencia’ oranges ( C. sinensis ), in comparison to only sealed fruit, resulted in some CO 2 injury of the peel and off-flavor.