Dr. Peter M.A. Toivonen

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

MacDonald JL, Toivonen PMA. 2020. "Improving Blueberry Postharvest Quality: Stacking for Optimal Temperature Management." Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, BC. 13021E/F.
2020 - View publication details
MacDonald JL, Toivonen PMA. 2020. "Improving Blueberry Postharvest Quality: Managing the Atmosphere of Shipped Berries." Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, BC. 13023E/F.
2020 - View publication details
Cliff, M.A., Toivonen, P.M.A. (2017). Sensory and quality characteristics of ‘Ambrosia’ apples in relation to harvest maturity for fruit stored up to eight months, 132 145-153. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2017.05.015
2017 - 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, 91 90-95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2013.12.024
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, 94(8), 1427-1439. http://dx.doi.org/10.4141/CJPS-2014-139
2014 - View publication details
Liplap, P., Toussaint, V., Toivonen, P., Vigneault, C., Boutin, J., Raghavan, G.S.V. (2014). Effect of Hyperbaric Pressure Treatment on the Growth and Physiology of Bacteria that Cause Decay in Fruit and Vegetables, 7(8), 2267-2280. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11947-013-1197-2
2014 - View publication details
Liplap, P., Vigneault, C., Toivonen, P., Charles, M.T., Raghavan, G.S.V. (2013). Effect of hyperbaric pressure and temperature on respiration rates and quality attributes of tomato, 86 240-248. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2013.07.002
2013 - View publication details
Tardelli, F., Guidi, L., Massai, R., Toivonen, P.M. (2013). Effects of 1-methylcyclopropene and post-controlled atmosphere air storage treatments on fresh-cut Ambrosia apple slices, 93(2), 262-270. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.5750
2013 - View publication details
Liplap, P., Vigneault, C., Toivonen, P., Boutin, J., Raghavan, G.S.V. (2013). Effect of hyperbaric treatment on respiration rates and quality attributes of sweet corn, 3(3), 257-271. http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/IJPTI.2013.059295
2013 - View publication details
Cliff, M.A., Li, J.B., Toivonen, P.M.A., Ehret, D.L. (2012). Effects of nutrient solution electrical conductivity on the compositional and sensory characteristics of greenhouse tomato fruit, 74 132-140. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2011.12.007
2012 - View publication details
Toivonen, P.M.A., Lu, C., Delaquis, P., Bach, S. (2011). Slicing under chlorinated water improves the disinfection of fresh-cut romaine lettuce, 74(12), 2142-2147. http://dx.doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-11-194
2011 - View publication details
Cliff, M., Stanich, K., Trujillo, J.M., Toivonen, P., Forney, C.F. (2011). Determination and prediction of odor thresholds for odor active volatiles in a neutral apple juice matrix, 34(3), 177-186. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-4557.2011.00383.x
2011 - View publication details
Cliff, M.A., Toivonen, P.M.A., Forney, C.F., Liu, P., Lu, C. (2010). Quality of fresh-cut apple slices stored in solid and micro-perforated film packages having contrasting O2 headspace atmospheres, 58(3), 254-261. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2010.07.015
2010 - View publication details
Cliff, M., Lok, S., Lu, C., Toivonen, P.M.A. (2009). Effect of 1-methylcyclopropene on the sensory, visual, and analytical quality of greenhouse tomatoes, 53(1-2), 11-15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2009.02.003
2009 - View publication details
Qiu, S., Lu, C., Li, X., Toivonen, P.M.A. (2009). Effect of 1-MCP on quality and antioxidant capacity of in vitro digests from 'Sunrise' apples stored at different temperatures, 42(3), 337-342. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2008.12.007
2009 - View publication details
Mrabet, A., Rejili, M., Lachiheb, B., Toivonen, P., Chaira, N., Ferchichi, A. (2008). Microbiological and chemical characterisations of organic and conventional date pastes (Phoenix dactylifera L.) from Tunisia, 58(3), 453-459. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF03175543
2008 - View publication details
Toivonen, P.M.A., Hampson, C., Stan, S., McKenzie, D.L., Hocking, R. (2007). Factors affecting severity of bruises and degree of apparent bruise recovery in a yellow-skinned apple, 45(2), 276-280. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2007.01.018
2007 - View publication details
Wiersma, P.A., Zhang, H., Lu, C., Quail, A., Toivonen, P.M.A. (2007). Survey of the expression of genes for ethylene synthesis and perception during maturation and ripening of 'Sunrise' and 'Golden Delicious' apple fruit, 44(3), 204-211. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2006.12.016
2007 - View publication details
Toivonen, P.M.A. (2007). "Fruit maturation and ripening and their relationship to quality.", Stewart Postharvest Review, 3(2), pp. 7.1-7.5. doi : 10.2212/spr.2007.2.7
2007 - View publication details
Toivonen, P.M.A. (2006). "Shimson Ben-Yehoshua, Editor, Environmentally Friendly Technologies for Agricultural Produce Quality, CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, FL (2005) ISBN 0-8493-1911-0 (Book Review).", Trends in Food Science & Technology, 17(6), pp. 337-338.
2006 - View publication details