Papaya fruit (Carica papaya L. cv. Waimanalo Solo),at color break ripe
ness, were either not heated (controls) or forced-air heated to center
temperatures of 47.5, 48.5, or 49.5 degrees C, and held at these temp
eratures for 20, 60, 120, or 180 minutes, Following heat treatment, fr
uit were hydrocooled until reaching a center temperature of 30 degrees
C, treated or not treated with prochloraz, allowed to ripen at 26 deg
rees C and then assessed for quality. Treatment at 48.5 degrees C or 4
9.5 degrees C for greater than or equal to 60 minutes was associated w
ith skin scalding. No significant scald was observed in other treatmen
ts or in the controls. Both control and heat-treated fruit had relativ
ely high levels of decay. Heat treatment increased the incidence of bo
dy rots hut did not affect the incidence of stem-end rots. Prochloraz
treatment significantly reduced the incidence of decay. With the inclu
sion of a prochloraz treatment to central postharvest decay, fruit tol
erated treatments of 47.5 OC for up to 120 minutes, and 48.5 degrees C
and 49.5 degrees C for 20 minutes with no significant damage. Chemica
l name used: trichlorophenoxy)ethyl)-1H-imidazole-1-carboxamide (proch
loraz).