Naga Rupavatharam
Doctor of Philosophy, (Food Technology)
Study Completed: 2015
College of Health
Citation
Thesis Title
Manipulating harvest maturity and ethylene to extend storage life of feijoa
Read article at Massey Research Online: 
At present, feijoa are not exported using sea-freight to distant markets because of their limited postharvest storage life of four weeks (at four degrees Celsius). Mr Rupavatharam investigated storage life extension of feijoa by harvesting feijoa earlier than the commercial touch-picking time. The study examined the effects of suppressing ripening hormone ethylene during later stages of fruit development and after harvest. His study identified use of skin colour in determining fruit maturity at harvest time based on storage potential. The feijoa industry in New Zealand can benefit by exporting early harvested fruit by sea freight because of their extended storage life of six weeks.
Supervisors
Professor Andrew East
Professor Julian Heyes