Harvested Asparagus Spears May Be Conditioned to Withstand Chilling by Heat-shock

Holding harvested asparagus spears at chilling temperatures (non-freezing temperatures below 10 °C) reduces their rate of respiration (i.e., carbon dioxide production), but increases their level of chilling injury (i.e., ion leakage into an isotonic bathing solution).  Various heat-shock treatments (i.e., combinations of temperature and duration) increased the chilling tolerance of 1-cm stem segments excised from the apex, center, and base of 18-cm harvested asparagus spears.  While the chilling tolerance of all spear segments was increased by specific heat-shock treatments, the optimal temperature and duration of exposure varied among the spear segments to such an extent that no one treatment could increase the chilling tolerance of the whole spear without either being ineffective or damaging some portion of the spear.