Faculty 
 

BETH MITCHAM
2059 Wickson Hall
(530) 752-7512
ejmitcham@ucdavis.edu
 Ph.D. (1990), Horticulture University of Maryland

Membership in Graduate Groups:  
Plant Biology

More Information:

 

Alternatives to postharvest chemicals for control of insects, decay and physiological disorders; fruit responses to postharvest handling systems.

The focus of my research and extension program is the postharvest physiology and handling of apples, pears, cherries, apricots, cling peaches, prunes, bushberries and strawberries as well as almonds and walnuts. In addition to studies on harvest maturity, storage conditions and quality measurements, my program will be focusing on developing alternatives to chemicals used in postharvest for control of decay, physiological disorders, and insect quarantine treatments.

Current research areas:

* Prestorage heat treatments (hot air or water) as a replacement for diphenylamine in control of apple storage scald including biochemical analysis of apple tissue to explore the method of heat reduction of scald development.

* Heat treatments (hot air or water) as a possible alternative to methyl bromide for quarantine treatment of temperate fruit crops against codling moth.

* Controlled atmospheres as a possible quarantine treatment against several insect pests for table grape export to Australia.

* Controlled atmospheres in combination with warm temperatures as a possible alternative to methyl bromide for quarantine treatment of various temperate fruit
crops.

* Controlled atmospheres with high CO2 for control of postharvest decay during domestic and export shipments of various fruit crops.

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Dept. of Pomology
University of California
1035 Wickson Hall
One Shields Avenue
Davis, CA 95616-8683
 
Tel: (530) 752-0122
Fax: (530) 752-8502
E-mail: fruitsandnuts@ucdavis.edu 
This page last updated  
July 15, 1998