Maturity and postharvest management

March 2025 | Presented by Dr Hannah James | Future Orchards® webinar slides

Dr Hannah James reviews the relationship between harvest maturity and postharvest performance, with a focus on making storage decisions that protect fruit quality and reduce disorder risk. Maturity at harvest determines how fruit responds to cooling, atmosphere, ethylene management and storage duration.

The presentation encourages growers and postharvest teams to use maturity information as a management tool rather than a simple harvest-date check. Firmness, starch, colour, soluble solids and variety-specific maturity indicators can be combined with intended storage length and market destination.

The broader message is that harvest and storage decisions must be connected. Fruit destined for long storage requires tighter maturity management, while postharvest cooling and atmosphere strategies should be adjusted to the variety and disorder risks present in the season.