Effects of Fruit Temperatures at Time of Impact Damage and Subsequent Storage Temperature and Duration on the Development of Surface Disorders in Sweet Cherries

Deterioration of sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) after harvest due to surface pitting caused by impact damage was positively correlated to storage temperature and duration. Cooler fruit temperatures at the time of impact increased the incidence of surface pitting in 1977 and the rate of pitting development in 1978. The incidence of bruised fruit increased to a maximum in fruit stored for 4 days after which the incidence of fruit bruises declined. Fruit that was warm at time of damage developed fewer bruises after 4 days in storage. Warm storage temperatures accelerated the development of bruise symptoms.