QUALITY RESPONSE OF BING AND RAINIER SWEET CHERRIES TO LOW-DOSE ELECTRON-BEAM IRRADIATION

'Bing' and 'Rainier' sweet cherries were irradiated at doses of 0.00, 0.15, 0.30, 0.60 and 0.90 kGy using a linear accelerator. Cherries wer e evaluated for quality immediately after treatment and again after 14 days storage at IC. No variation in soluble solids, titratable acidit y or flavor were noted at any of the irradiation doses. Defects were i ncreased for 'Rainier' cherries at irradiation doses above 0.60 kGy, b ur no change in defects of 'Ring' cherries were present regardless of irradiation doses. Objective color of 'Ring' cherries was lighter with more red at irradiation doses greater than 0.30 kGy, but this change in color was nor evident visually. Objective color of 'Rainier' cherri es was reduced at irradiation doses of 0.60 kGy and greater. This redu ction in 'Rainier' red color was evident visually at an irradiation do se of 0.90 kGy, No change in 'Ring' green stem color was evident, but 'Rainier' stem color improved at irradiation doses above 0.60 kGy. Fir mness of both 'Bing' and 'Rainier' cherries was reduced at irradiation doses of 0.60 kGy and greater. By using the linear accelerator at dos es of 0.60 kGy or less, 'Ring' and 'Rainier' cherries can be irradiate d with no major quality loss to meet quarantine requirements.