'Chiripá' and 'Chimarrita' peach cultivars were harvested in 2000 and 2001 at two ripening stages, mature green and tree ripe, and stored at 0 ºC and 90% relative humidity. 'Chiripá' peaches were cold stored for 10 or 20 days in 2000 and 7, 14 or 21 days in 2001. 'Chimarrita' peaches were stored in both years for 10, 20 or 30 days. Fruit samples were evaluated at harvest, at retrieval from each cold storage period and after two 2 or 3 more days of ripening at 20 ºC. Weight losses after storage of mature green and tree ripe peaches of both cultivars were similar. Peaches with more than 5% weight loss after retrieval from cold storage showed shriveling symptoms. Tree ripe 'Chimarrita' peaches after cold storage were more decayed in the 2001 season. Flesh firmness decreased continuously during storage, specially in tree ripe fruit. Flesh firmness of mature green peaches was significantly higher compared to ripe fruits. However, during ripening at 20 °C firmness values decreased to about the same values in both ripening stages. In the 2001 season, after 30 days in cold storage, 'Chimarrita' peaches of both ripening stages were woolly. In the same season, mature green 'Chiripá' peaches showed woolliness at the end of the storage period.
Prunus persica; mature green peaches; woolliness
