Mechanical Damages Increase Respiratory Rates of Citrus Fruit

The present work intended to evaluate the effects of impacts and compression forces on the respiration rates of citrus fruit. The fruits were compressed with an instrumented sphere and hydraulic jack and impacted by dropping at different heights onto a rigid surface. Five treatments were applied in a completely randomized design. Respiratory rates increased during the first 6 hr after the treatments, and increases depended on the compression intensity and drop height applied. Impacts produce a greater effect on respiration rates of all species evaluated. Oranges submitted to compressions and limes submitted to impacts presented the greatest increases of respiration.