Storage Characteristics and Harvesting Techniques of Pears

I. Storage Characteristics of Cultivars Pears are relatively easy to store, and their storage characteristics are similar to those of apples, making them an important fruit for large-scale long-term storage in our country. There are many pear cultivars with varying storage tolerance. In terms of pear systems, there are the white pear system, sand pear system, autumn pear system, and European pear system. Most cultivars of the white pear system are easy to store, such as Yali pear, Xuehua pear, Suli pear, Changba pear, Korla fragrant pear, and Qiubai pear, whose flesh is crisp, tender, and juicy and which store well, making them the main storage cultivars in current production. The white pear system's Mili pear, Benli pear, Anli pear, and Hongxiao pear are extremely storage-tolerant, and after storage the sour, astringent, and coarse quality at harvest is improved. Most superior cultivars of the autumn pear system are not storage-tolerant; only Nanguo pear, Jingbai pear, and others are relatively storage-tolerant. The storage tolerance of sand pear system cultivars is inferior to that of white pears; among them, Wansanji pear, Jinmura autumn pear, and others are storage-tolerant. The European pear system originated in Europe, and few cultivars have been introduced and cultivated in our country, mainly Bartlett pear (banana pear), Comice pear, and others; their flesh softens extremely easily after harvest, their storage tolerance is poor, and at room temperature they can only be kept for a few days, while under refrigeration they can be stored for 1 to 2 months.

II. Harvesting The harvest period directly affects the storage results of pears. Pear maturity is usually judged based on the color of the fruit surface, the flavor of the flesh, and the color of the seeds. For green cultivars, when the green on the fruit surface gradually decreases, appearing green or green-yellow, with the characteristic aroma, the stalk easily separating from the fruit spur, and the seeds turning brown, this is a sign of moderate maturity; when the base color of the fruit surface, copper-green or green-brown, shows yellow and yellow-brown, and the stalk easily separates from the fruit spur, this indicates maturity; if it appears deep yellow or translucent yellow, this is a sign of overripeness. If European pears are allowed to ripen on the tree, the flesh becomes loose and soft, and may even cause core rot, making them unsuitable for storage and transport, so they should be harvested when the fruit is mature but the flesh is still firm. The standard is: the fruit has the shape and size proper to the cultivar, the green on the fruit surface fades to green-yellow, and the stalk easily separates from the fruiting branch. Harvesting should be done at the right time and with every effort to reduce damage. Because the skin structure of pears is crisp and brittle, they are prone to bruising, compression, and puncture damage during harvesting and other stages, which should be given attention.