Effect of Cold Treatment as a Post-Harvest Treatment for Killing Immature Stages of the Peach Fruit Fly, Bactrocera zonata (Diptera: Tephritidae) and its Effect on Fruit Quality of Pomegranate

Pomegranate fruits were artificially infested with immature stages (eggs and larval instars) of peach fruit fly Bactrocera zonata and stored at 1.7ᵒC for 14 days. Results showed that the effectiveness of cold treatment against B.zonata was demonstrated by 100% mortality in all immature stages. Also the results indicated that wonderful pomegranate fruits could be stored for 8 weeks (two weeks at 1.7oC plus six weeks at 10°C and RH 85-90%) as storage or shipping temperature. Fruits transferred directly from quarantine treatment to room temperature 25±2°C and RH 45-50% had shelf life of two weeks without chilling injury symptoms plus two weeks at 1.7oC. Concerning the data dealing with packing methods, carton box (5kilo) lined with perforated lifespan was the best in comparison with other methods.