Dr. Peter M.A. Toivonen

Retired - Research Scientist

Posharvest Physiology and Phenomics in Fruit Crops

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

4200 Highway #97, Summerland, British Columbia

Current research and/or projects

Postharvest characterization phenotyping of quality in newly released apple and sweet cherry cultivars
Phenotyping of soft scald susceptibility and biochemical markers in seedling populations from specified breeding crosses of apples

Professional activities / interests

Past Chair of USDA NE1036 Regional Project ‘Postharvest Physiology of Fruits’
AAFC Science Advisor to the board of the British Columbia Cherry Association
Vice-Chair of Commission Quality and Postharvest Horticulture for the International Society for Horticultural Science
Editorial Advisory Board Member for Postharvest Biology and Technology
Canadian Representative on PROCINORTE Tree Fruit Task Force

Key publications

Manganaris, G.A., Toivonen, P.M.A., and Kalaitzis, P. (Eds.) (2015). Proceedings of the V Postharvest Unlimited Conference. Acta Horticulturae (ISHS) 1079, 714 pages.. (Book)
2015 - View publication details
Hampson, C.R., McKenzie, D.-L., Herbert, L.C., and Toivonen, P.M.A. (2015). "Resistance of new sweet cherry cultivars to fruit pitting.", HortScience, 50(9: S255). (Abstract)
2015 - View publication details
Toivonen, P.M.A., DeLong, J.M., Hampson, C.R., Song, J., Forney, C.F., and Myles, S. (2015). "Peel maturity only correlates with soft scald in a highly susceptible orchard of Ambrosia™ apple.", HortScience, 50(9), pp. S181. (Abstract)
2015 - View publication details
Toivonen, P.M.A., Cossentine, J.E., O'Gorman, D.T., and Urbez-Torres, J.R. (2015 Confidential). Progress Report for Project ID number J-000378. P020-BCFGA- Canadian Tree Fruit Products Development - Activity 3: Postharvest characterization of apple and sweet cherry quality. (Report)
2015 - View publication details
McClure, K.A., Gardner, K.M., Toivonen, P.M.A., Hampson, C.R., Lannard, B.L., Rajcan, I., Song, J., and Myles, S. (2015). "Genetic mapping using next-generation DNA sequencing in apple.", Canadian Plant Genome Workshop (CPGW 2015), Victoria, BC, Canada, August 1-13., 2015.
2015 - View publication details
Toivonen, P.M.A., DeLong, J.M., Song, J., and Forney, C.F. (2015). "Peel Maturity only Correlates with Soft Scald in a Highly Susceptible Orchard of Ambrosia™ apple.", American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) Annual Conference 2015, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, August 4-7, 2015.
2015 - View publication details
Hampson, C.R., McKenzie, D.-L., Herbert, L.C., and Toivonen, P.M.A. (2015). "Resistance of new sweet cherry cultivars to fruit pitting.", American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) Annual Conference 2015, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, August 4-7, 2015. (Poster)
2015 - View publication details
Toivonen, P.M.A., Lu, C., Bach, S.J., and Delaquis, P.J. (2015). "Hypoxic atmospheres can induce subsequent increases in cutting-induced hydrogen peroxide production by fresh-cut Romaine lettuce.", Acta Horticulturae (ISHS), 1071, pp. 519-526.
2015 - View publication details
Toivonen, P.M.A. (2015). Comparison of IAD and starch-iodine indices at harvestand how they relate to post-storage firmness retentionin ambrosiaTM apples over three growing seasons. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, [online] 95(6), 1177-1180. http://dx.doi.org/10.4141/CJPS-2015-185
2015 - View publication details
Toivonen, P.M.A. and Cliff, M.A. (2014). Progress Report for Project ID number J-000379. P020-BCFGA- Canadian Tree Fruit Products Development - Activity 4: Update on Improving Ambrosia™ Apple Quality after Long Term Storage. AIP-ASP reporting: Okanagan Plant Improvement Company (PICO)/Scientist Meeting Agenda – March 26, 2014: PARC-Summerland. (Report)
2014 - View publication details
Toivonen, P.M.A., O'Gorman, D.T., and Cossentine, J.E. (2014). Progress Report for Project ID number J-000378. P020-BCFGA-Canadian Tree Fruit Products Development - Activity 3: Postharvest characterization of apple and sweet cherry quality. AIP-ASP reporting: Okanagan Plant Improvement Company (PICO)/Scientist Meeting Agenda – March 26, 2014: PARC-Summerland. (Report)
2014 - View publication details
Toivonen, P.M.A. (2014). "DA meter assessment of apple maturity: Myths, realities and challenges.", Orchard Network Newsletter, 18(4), pp. 10-11. (Newsletter)
2014 - View publication details
Toivonen, P.M.A. (2014). Response of Aurora Golden Gala™ apples to 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment, controlled atmosphere storage (CAS) and storage temperature over short duration storage. Report to Summerland Varieties Corporation, 13 pp. (Report)
2014 - View publication details
Toivonen, P.M.A., Mitcham, E.J., and Terry, L.A. (2014). "Postharvest care and the treatment of fruits and vegetables.", in Dixon, G.R. and Aldous, D.E. (eds.) - Horticulture: Plants for People and Places, Volume 1, Production Horticulture, Springer, pp. 465-483.
2014 - View publication details
Toivonen, P.M.A. and Hampson, C.R. (2014). "Replacement of existing cultivars with similar apples having better postharvest traits.", ISHS 29th International Horticultural Congress, Brisbane, Australia, August 17-22, 2014, Oral presentation.
2014 - View publication details
Toivonen, P.M.A. (2014). "Managing sweet cherry quality - Importance of production and harvest practices.", Compact Fruit Tree(August), pp. 30.
2014 - View publication details
O'Gorman, D.T., Haag, P., Urbez-Torres, J.R., and Toivonen, P.M.A. (2014). Characterization and management of two cherry diseases in the Okanagan: cherry slip skin and cherry replant disease 2014. AIP-ASP reporting: Okanagan Plant Improvement Company (PICO)/Scientist Meeting Agenda – March 26, 2014: PARC-Summerland. (Report)
2014 - View publication details
Toivonen, P.M.A. (2014). "Relationship of typical core temperatures after hydrocooling on retention of different quality components in sweet cherry.", HortTechnology, 24(4), pp. 457-462.
2014 - View publication details
Stanich, K., Cliff, M.A., Hampson, C.R., Toivonen, P.M. (2014). Shelf-life and sensory assessments reveal the effects of storage treatments with 1-methylcyclopropene on new and established apples. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, [online] 94(8), 1427-1439. http://dx.doi.org/10.4141/CJPS-2014-139
2014 - View publication details
Toivonen, P.M.A., Hampson, C.R. (2014). Relationship of IAD index to internal quality attributes of apples treated with 1-methylcyclopropene and stored in air or controlled atmospheres. Postharvest Biology and Technology, [online] 91 90-95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2013.12.024
2014 - View publication details