Senior Postharvest Physiologist (Temperate fruit)

Horticulture Production Sciences, Agriculture Victoria

john.lopresti@ecodev.vic.gov.au

Type of Research / Topic:

  • Post-harvest storage performance of pome fruit, table grapes and summerfruit
  • Effect of pre-harvest and harvest factors on storage performance of temperate fruit
  • Non-destructive measurement of fruit maturity and quality
  • Modelling and prediction of fruit performance along export chains
  • Effect of tree crop load, fruit position and orchard environment on variability in maturity and sweetness among fruit within trees

Relevant experience:

  • Over 24 years in horticultural pre- and post-harvest research and extension
  • Experience includes pesticide application in viticulture, optimising fruit and vegetable handling to reduce bruising, CA storage of pome fruit and, pre- and post-harvest fruit maturity assessment
  • Since 2006 have focused on temperate fruit R&D and specifically on: the effect of harvest maturity on postharvest storage performance; understanding the factors resulting in differences in maturity and sugars among fruit within trees; and effect of table grape bunch morphology on subsequent post-harvest storage quality