Effect of fruit size and polyethylene wrapping on the storage ability of citrus ‘Harumi’

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'Harumi' citrus is usually harvested from December to January to avoid cold injury of the peel. After a storage period between January and February, fruit are shipped until the middle of March. However, an extended shipping period until late March or April is desired. In this experiment, the effects of fruit size and polyethylene (PE) wrapping on storage ability were investigated. Fruit size was associated to soluble solids (SS, °Brix) and fruit flesh percentage (w/w), but not to titratable acidity at harvest time. In the middle of May, without wrapping, fruit weight loss, the occurrence of peel puffing and peel wrinkles were detrimental in small fruit, however, the taste index of middle-sized fruit remained relatively high. Granulation was observed, especially in the very large non-wrapped fruit. Fruit size and forty days of PE wrapping bag affected the fruit weight, fruit and flesh specific gravity (SG), as well as flesh weight percentage after storage at ambient temperature. Fruit weight loss exceeded 10% in the middle-sized fruit without wrapping, but about 1% in PE treatment. In the larger fruit wrapped with PE, fruit SG was lower than 0.80 g cm(-3) in early March. Consequently, by selecting fruit size, and wrapping with PE, storage ability can be improved thereby allowing the shipping period to be longer in citrus 'Harumi'.