2. POSTHARVEST HANDLING OF BRAMBLES PENELOPE PERKINS-VEAZIE NCSU KANNAPOLIS NC penelope_perkins@ncsu.edu

3. DIFFERENCES FROM OTHER CROPS MUST BE FULLY RIPE MUST PICK INTO FINAL CONTAINER NO WASHING RAPID COOLING AND COLD CHAIN CRITICAL NO MECHANICAL SORTING CONSUMERS EAT WITHOUT WASHING

4. SYSTEMS 1.ON FARM/FARMERS MARKET -U Pick -Pick into larger containers (quart) -Softer varieties can be used 2.SHIPPING -Pick into small containers (pint) -Cold chain management is critical -Use only firm varieties

5. Y STEPS FOR QUALITY PREHARVEST VARIETY SELECTION CONTAINER HARVEST/HANDLING SYSTEM

6. VARIETY SELECTION FIRMNESS: GET IT OFF THE PLANT WITHOUT LEAKING SHAPE AND SIZE: ROUND/LONG, LARGE /SMALL (WHAT FITS YOUR PACKAGE AND MARKET?) SHELF LIFE: DECAY RESISTANCE, TRANSPORT RESISTANCE OTHER DEFECTS: SUNBURN, RED DRUPE FIRST STEP IN POSTHARVEST LIFE:

7. FIRMNESS (COMPRESSION) FIRMER IS MORE RESISTANT TO BRUISE AND LEAK FIRM SOFT

8. SELECTIONS NATIONAL SHIPPING NAVAHO NATCHEZ APACHE ARAPAHO OUCHITA CHESTER THORNLESS

9. NUMBER OF BERRIES PER PINT 40NAVAHO 40 ARAPAHO 35 CHESTER 30 OUACHITA 25 APACHE 25NATCHEZ

10. CONTAINERS PLASTIC CLAMSHELL ½ PINT, PINT, 12 AND 18 OZ (NO MORE THAN 3 LAYERS) VENTED ON TOP AND SIDES UPICK/FARMERS: QUART AND LARGER

11. CONTAINER 2 LB BASKET FOR LOCAL ONLY CLAMSHELL WITH ROUND HOLES CLAMSHELL WITH SLITS STACKABLE

12. MASTER FLATS OR CARTONS REINFORCED CORNERS SIDES STACK VERTICALLY FORCED AIR VENTS HOLD 12 CLAMSHELLS MASTER WITH AIR VENTS TOP FLAT GUARD

13. PICK FULL BLACK, FIRM BE GENTLE!

14. KEEP FRUIT SHADED WHILE PICKING SHADED SIDE N-S PLANTING 70F 80F

15. DON’T OVERFILL

16. MOLDS/FUNGAL BOTRYTIS-GRAY MOLD PICK EVERY 2-3 DAYS TO AVOID OVERRIPE AND DECAYED FRUIT PICK OFF OVERRIPE/DECAYED FRUIT AND DISCARD OTHERS: ANTHRACNOSE, RUST, CLADISPORIUM, FUSARIUM, YEASTS RUST

17. INJURY RAIN DAMAGE SUNBURN HEAT/BRUISE RED DRUPE AVOID THESE FRUIT WHEN PICKING POSTHARVEST PREHARVEST

18. PACKING SYSTEM 1 PICK INTO CLAMSHELL PLACE CLAMSHELLS IN TOMATO BOX TRANSPORT TO SHED CHECK/REPACK FRUIT IN CLAMSHELLS PLACE IN MASTERS AND PUT IN COLD ROOM

19. PACKING SYSTEM 2 FIELD ONLY PICK INTO CLAMSHELLS BRING TO FIELD PACKHOUSE SORT FOR LEAK, DAMAGE PLACE INTO REEFER

20. PACKING GUIDE CHART

21. SANITATION: CONSUMERS DON’T ALWAYS WASH FRUIT! PROVIDE WASH STATION AS WELL AS TOILET FACILITIES

22. STEPS FOR QUALITY POSTHARVEST COOLING CA/MA TRANSIT

23. COOLING BLACKBERRIES DELAYS DECAY REDUCES RESPIRATION/WEIGHT LOSS CAN CAUSE CONDENSATE IF CHANGES IN TEMPERATURE OCCUR COOLING IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE PRETREATMENT FOR BLACKBERRY SHELF LIFE !

24. DISEASES RHIZOPUS (LEAKY ROT) >41 F BOTRYTIS (GRAY MOLD) >32 F ANTHRACNOSE >41 F

25. TEMPERATURE INCREASE RESPIRATION INCREASES WEIGHT LOSS INCREASES DECAY INCREASES

26. CONDENSATION WARM AIR HOLDS MORE MOISTURE THAN COLD AIR AS AIR COOLS, WATER FALLS OUT ONTO COLDEST SURFACE PLASTIC COOLS FASTER THAN FRUIT

27. COOLING ROOM/ REEFER COOLING FORCED AIR COOLING http://www.storeitcold.com/

28. ROOM COOLING: ALLOW AIR MOVEMENT BETWEEN BOXES AND FLATS VENTS IN MASTER FOR AIR FLOW WITHIN CARTON

29. COLD ROOMS RAILWAY CARS + ELECTRIC MOTOR + DIESEL GENERATOR SELF-CONSTRUCTED USED RESTAURANT COLD/FREEZER ROOMS OFTEN FA IS INSIDE A LARGER COLD ROOM CONVERT AC UNIT TO COOLING (COOL- BOT) http://www.storeitcold.com/

30. EVAPORATOR UNIT REINFORCED CONCRETE FLOOR POLY U FOAM 5 CM CONCRETE SUB FLOOR COOLING ROOM DIAGRAM STEEL OR AL FRAME SUPPORTS, 2 M CENTERS DOOR SOLID RUBBER LOWER SEAL AL CHANNEL, SLIDING DOOR TRACK, FOAM, RUBBER SEAL 10 CM 7.5 CM METAL CLADDING, CAULKED

31. FORCED-AIR COOLING FORCES COLD AIR THROUGH DIRECTED PATHS IN BOXED FRUIT CAN BE FIELD PORTABLE ROOM PORTABLE BUILT-IN

32. FA FANS CURTAIN

33. STORAGE AFTER COOLING KEEP NEAR 32 F KEEP RELATIVE HUMIDITY >90% HOLD NO MORE THAN 2 DAYS

34. EXTRA LABELING FOR CORRECT TEMPERATURE

35. AVOIDING WEAK LINKS IN THE COLD CHAIN 1. COOL AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE- MAKE SEVERAL SMALL TRIPS TO COOLER 2. KEEP PRODUCT COOLER IN FIELD-USE SHADE, ADD MIST SYSTEM (WHERE LOW HUMIDITY) 3. PAY ATTENTION TO AIR FLOW, STACKING, BOX VENTS

36. COLD CHAIN (CONT) LOAD INTO REFRIGERATED TRANSIT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE UNLOAD INTO REFRIGERATED STORAGE QUICKLY MEASURE/MONITOR TEMPERATURE AT EACH STEP USING RECORDERS

37. MA OR CA STORAGE MUST BE HELD AT 0-5 C (32-41 F) TO BE EFFECTIVE BLACKBERRIES NEED 5-10% OXYGEN AND CAN TOLERATE 10-20% CARBON DIOXIDE

38. MA OR CA STORAGE USED DURING TRANSPORT (3-5 DAYS) EXCELLENT CONTROL OF GRAY MOLD KEEPS FRUIT IN ‘SUSPENDED ANIMATION’

39. PALETTE MA USING FILM OVERLAY WITH INJECTED CO2

40. MA VERSUS TEMPERATURE POSTHARVEST LIFE OF BLACKBERRIES (DAYS) STORAGE TEMPERATURE 68 F 41 F 32 F AIR 1 3 7 MA 2 4 10 LOW TEMPERATURE IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN MA

41. SUMMARY CONTROL HARVEST OPERATION REDUCE FIELD HEAT LOAD KEEP FRUIT COOL DURING STORAGE AND TRANSIT USE MA ONLY IF A PREMIUM PRICE

42. SOURCES OF INFORMATION BRAMBLE PRODUCTION GUIDE (CORNELL UNIVERSITY) SMALL SCALE POSTHARVEST HANDLING PRACTICES (UC-DAVIS) POSTHARVEST TECHNOLOGY OF HORTICULTURAL CROPS (UC- DAVIS)

43. SOURCES-WEB SITES NORTH CAROLINE STATE http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/programs/exte nsion/publicat/postharv/ http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/programs/exte nsion/publicat/postharv/ UNIV CALIFORNIA-DAVIS AND UC- KEARNEYSVILLE http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/ http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/ USDA HANDBOOK 66 http://www.ba.ars.usda.gov/hb66/contents. html