Effects of Shipping Temperature and Precooling Treatment of Everbearing Strawberry Cultivars ‘Goha’ and ‘Flamenco’ Grown on Highland through Export Simulation

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of low temperature shipping condition and precooling treatments (forced air and room cooling) on everbearing strawberry through export simulation ofGoha'nd 'Flamenco'ultivars. After harvest, it took two days to prepare export procedure such as precooling, sorting, storage, transportation, quarantine and handling, and then everbearing strawberry was carried out shipping at room (20-25°C) or low (8°C) temperature conditions. In the case of shipping at room temperature, weight losses of both cultivars were increased up to 10% after 2 days where 'Goha' being 2% higher than that ofFlamenco'. In 'Flamenco'ultivar,hipping temperature and precooling treatmentere notffective in firmness and soluble solids contents during transporting periods. However, in 'Goha' cultivar, room cooling treatment and low shipping temperature were effective in maintaining firmness until 4 days after shipping. Especially titratable acidity was affected by shipping temperature (P ≤ 0.001) and precooling treatments (P ≤ 0.05) in 'Goha' cultivar. Also shipping temperature under 8 o C delayed coloring and decay incidence of both strawberry cultivars, and precooling treatments of both forced air and room cooling reduced frequency of decay. The shelf life of everbearing strawberry at low shipping temperature was extended more than 4 days compared with shipping at room temperature. Precooling treatment including forced air or room cooling will be useful for the two cultivars when they are transported at low temperature. In 'Flamenco' cultivar, the effect of forced air and room cooling was similar, whereas in 'Goha' room cooling was more effective.