Professor of Postharvest Physiology
Department of Plant Sciences

2049 Wickson Hall   
aakader@ucdavis.edu
(530) 752-0909 office

Education

Ph.D. in Plant Physiology, University of California, Davis, 1966

Research Interests

My research program focuses on quality of fruits and nuts in relation to their postharvest biology and technology with the following objectives:

1. to define components of appearance, texture, flavor, and nutritional quality and their interrelationships for various fruits and nuts, and
2. to evaluate the effects of controlled atmospheres on physiology and quality attributes of fruits and nuts.

The following are some examples of my recent and on-going research activities:

• Physiological and biochemical bases for the effects of controlled atmospheres on respiratory metabolism and phenolic metabolism in selected fruits.
• Mode of O2 and CO2 action on ethylene biosynthesis and effects in pome fruits.
• Potential use of controlled atmospheres for ameliorating chilling injury of avocado and stone fruits.
• Relative tolerance of fruits to stresses caused by elevated CO2 - and/or low O2 atmospheres, which can be used for postharvest decay and/or insect control.
• Maintaining quality of fresh cut (lightly-processed) fruits by atmospheric modification.