Controlled-atmosphere Storage of Sugar Peas

<jats:p> Sugar peas <jats:italic>(Pisum sativum</jats:italic> var. <jats:italic>saccharatum</jats:italic> cv. Manoa Sugar) were stored for 14 or 21 days under controlled atmospheres (CA) of 21% or 2.4% O <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> , plus 0%, 2.6%, or 4.7% CO <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> at 10 or 1C. Changes in appearance, weight, and in the concentrations of chlorophyll, total soluble sugars, insoluble solids, and soluble protein were evaluated before and after storage. After 14 days of storage at 10C there were minor changes in all indicators of quality under the various storage conditions, but the appearance of sugar peas was better under CA than under 21% O <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> . When quality was evaluated after 21 days, however, storage under CA at 10C was not as beneficial as storage in 21% O <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> , at 1C. Holding peas in 2.4% O <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> , for up to 3 weeks at l0C, a higher than recommended storage temperature, maintained better quality than 21% O <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> . Increasing the CO, concentration from 0% to 2.6% or 4.7% had no adverse effects on quality and had a beneficial effect in some treatments. Compared with storage in 21% O <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> , the appearance of the peas was better, the concentrations of chlorophyll and soluble sugar were maintained at higher levels, and the insoluble solids were decreased in all atmospheres with 2.4% O <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> . Appearance and concentrations of chlorophyll, soluble sugars, and proteins were maintained at 1C regardless of treatments. </jats:p>