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Abstract
Pears stored near 0°C at high relative humidity (rh about 95 percent) developed more core breakdown but less surface scald than those stored at lower rh's (90 and 85 percent). Breakdown usually was not evident until after the pears had ripened at 18°. Some scald was present when the pears were removed from 0° storage, and the severity increased during ripening. 'Bartlett' pears developed core breakdown after 2 months of storage and ripening, compared with 4 months for 'Moonglow' and 'Magness'. Moonglow developed the least amount of breakdown but the greatest amount of scald. Pears stored at the lowest rh lost the most weight and were softer after storage than those stored at the highest rh. Date of harvest had little effect on breakdown, scald, or soluble solids content. The intermittent warming treatment (24 hours at 18° after 1, 2, or 3 months of 0° storage) had no significant effect on shrivel, scald, core breakdown, or soluble solids content. Decay was not severe until after 4 months of storage and ripening. Decay was not affected by rh during storage, but more developed in pears which received the intermittent warming treatment than in those stored constantly at 0°.