Postharvest Biology and Technology of Peach

Peach is a climacteric fruit and undergoes rapid ripening after harvest. The fast ripening of the fruit is responsible for its short shelf life and represents a serious constraint for its efficient handling and transportation. Quick softening of the fruit after harvest and subsequent mold growth leads to huge losses in the marketing chain of the fruit. This chapter mainly sums up recent studies about the maturation parameters, ripening, physiological disorders, microbiological disorders, and postharvest techniques (cold storage, controlled atmosphere storage, and modified atmosphere packaging) of peach fruit. Various treatments, including physical (heat treatment, intermittent warming, irradiation, and edible coatings) and chemical methods (1-methylcyclopropene, salicylic acid, methyl jasmonate, calcium chloride, oxalic acid, melatonin, and nitric oxide), have been applied to peach fruit to enhance its shelf life.