Effects of Harvest Date, Storage Temperature, and Moisture Status on Postharvest Needle Retention of Fraser Fir
Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poir.) branches harvested Oct. 3 and Nov. 28, 1984 were stored with and without water at 9, 16, 23 and 30°C (48, 61, 73 and 86°F) for 6 weeks. Branches set in water exhibited minimal needle loss at all temperatures except 30°C (86°F) where 60 to 75% of the foliage detached. Branches without water retained needles better at lower temperatures where the drying rate was slower. Branches without water which were harvested Nov. 28 exhibited less needle loss than those harvested Oct. 3, but storage temperature had more effect than harvest date. Branches with water maintained a moisture content of 120 to 140% (dry weight basis) except those at 30°C (86°F) which decreased to 66% moisture content after 2 weeks. Later harvest date and lower storage temperatures improved postharvest needle retention of Fraser fir.
Contributor Notes
Paper No. 10575 of the Journal Series of the N. C. Agricultural Research Service, Raleigh, NC 27695-7601. This work is a portion of a M.S. thesis by the senior author. The authors acknowledge the technical assistance of Mr. Layne Snelling, Mrs. Harriet Sox, and the staff of the Southeastern Plant Environment Laboratory. We thank Dr. Roger Fites for advice and reviews, and the Richardson Trust for supplying plant material and financial support.
2Graduate Student, Associate Professor, and Professor, resp.