Pear

CURETTI MARIELA; COLAVITA GRACIELA; VITA LAURA INES; SOSA, M.C.

Temperate Fruits: Production, Processing and Marketing

Apple Academics Press Francis&Taylor

Lugar: Florida; Año: 2020; p. 107 - 182

There is evidence that the cultivation of pear (Pyrus sp.) began approximately 3000 years ago in the Anatolia peninsula and Central Asia. Today, the area devoted to world pear production is approximately 1.5 million hectares, yielding 25 million tons annually. Pear trees grow in temperate regions and respond to the application of technological tools that increase production. Pears have a pleasant sweet taste, are a source of fiber and vitamin C, and have low sodium content, which makes it a healthy snack if eaten fresh. Pears adapt well to conservation and transport and they can be included in processed foods. This chapter discusses the botany, taxonomy, varieties and cultivars, rootstocks, composition, uses, and nutritional aspects of the pear. In addition, it includes updated information on basic aspects of breeding and crop improvement, orchard management, harvest, post-harvest, high-tech cultivation, transport, and packing. Topics such as disease, pest, and physiological disorders are also reviewed.