Harvesting a pear

Pears are the only temperate tree fruits that cannot be left on the tree to ripen. They are climacteric fruits that require harvest before the climatic rise in respiration of storage life is to be maximized.

Pears bear in 3 to 5 years after planting. If they are harvested too late, they developed off-flavors and core breakdown, postharvest-physiological disorder.

Harvesting pears at optimum maturity is important to ensure a high-quality product. What are the signs that fruit is ready to be harvested?

*The pear should be full sized
*Usually the fruit is still green but has started turning yellow, although some varieties are red or russet-colored or blushed with red or pink.
*When tilted, the fruit will easily spate form the tree with its stem still attached.
*The flesh gets whiter
*When cutting the fruit open, juice forms on the flesh
* To test ripeness, cut a fruit open; dark seeds indicate ripe fruit.

How pears should be picked? Carefully hold the stem of the pear on one hand and the fruit spur in the other hand. Gently twist with an upward turn. Remove the ear and stem, not the bumpy, fruit-bearing spur.

It takes several years for a spur to develop, and if damaged or accidentally harvested with the pear the crop will be significantly decreased the following year.
Harvesting a pear