The ripening inhibitor SmartFresh (MCP) holds promise for maintaining pear quality over a longer period of time and reducing disorders such as scald, but the pear industry reports that some treated pears won’t ripen. Dr. Eugene Kupferman, retired Washington State University postharvest specialist, said Bartlett pears, which are harvested in August in the Pacific Northwest, can normally be stored until December or January. Shippers are starting to use MCP to extend the season as well as to maintain the quality of pears during shipment to distant markets, but there’s a risk, he said, that the pears might still be rock […]