Citrus Postharvest
Furrow irrigation will reduce the humidity under trees and reduce disease incidence.
The key elements of citrus postharvest management are:
| Pick citrus based on taste and color (this depends on what the market wants, but usually approximately 75% of each fruit should be orange). Citrus do not get any sweeter after being harvested. |
| Harvest fruit when dry. If they are harvested wet, they develop blemishes, |
| Clip the stem close to the fruit to protect the "button" at the fruit.. A healthy button limits both disease development and fruit drying after harvest. Do not harvest fruit by pulling them from the tree. |
| Note for mandarins. Lower mandarins into bins - rather than pouring them. Mandarins have thinner peel and so damage more easily than other citrus. You can pour other citrus that have thicker peels. |
| Put citrus as soon as possible after harvest into the shade or cover them to limit spotting on the fruit. |
| Safely store citrus for 3-6 weeks at 5-8 degrees C. Citrus is very sensitive to chilling damage and lower temperatures cause brown spots on the fruit. |
- 10 Postharvest principles Fact sheet (UC Davis)