Three Remarkable Generations of Postharvest Horticulture1

Abstract

Abstract The casual observer might assume that members of the American Society for Horticultural Science have developed only a recent interest in postharvest horticulture. This is not true; early members of the society were as much interested in the characteristics and responses of our harvested horticultural crops as they are now, or have been during the 75 years we are celebrating at this anniversary meeting. The early volumes of the Proceedings contain papers specifically directed to postharvest problems, for example, “Preliminary Report on Celery Storage Investigations” by Thompson (27) in 1915, “Notes on Storing Apples” by Gourley (12) in 1913, and “Chemical and Physiological Studies on Fruit Storage” by Magness (20) in 1921. Burroughs (9) in 1923 published on apple fruit respiration and Daly (10) related the ‘Jonathan’ apple fruit breakdown problem to fruit maturity in 1925. Early issues of the Proceedings carry listings of research projects by members. Volume 13 (2) carries at least 20 titles specifically dealing with postharvest work that ranges from shippping precooled strawberries in Ontario to the control of quality in hubbard squash in Vermont. A study of the factors influencing the keeping qualities of flowers was listed by Beal (3) in 1917. Subsequent volumes report the results of these research efforts. In the 17th volume, Magness (20) describes plans for probably the first laboratory, at least in this country, specifically designed for postharvest physiology research. It was located at Canton, Pennsylvania, privately financed and later used by Burroughs (9) in 1922 to elucidate what was later to be known as the climacteric rise in respiration.