Dr. Carolina Torres

Program Leader

Dr. Carolina Torres is an Endowed Chair in Tree Fruit Postharvest Systems. Her research program focus is on Washington apples, pears and cherries. Areas of research include abiotic stress and climate effect on fruit quality and storage disorders, fruit physiology and biochemistry, handling technologies, and postharvest systems to optimize fruit quality throughout the supply chain.

Researchgate page 

Google scholar profile

Recent Publications

1. Lwin HP, Torres CA, Rudell D, Lee J. 2023. Chilling-related browning of ‘Wonhwang’pear cortex is associated with the alteration of minerals and metabolism. Scientia Horticulturae 321, 112321
2. Torres CA, Sepulveda G. 2023. Phyto-squalane: A new active ingredient to prevent superficial scald on pears. Postharvest Biology and Technology 204, 112459
3. El-Kereamy A, Caruso M, Torres CA, Cavaco AM. 2023. Recent advancements on the development and ripening of Mediterranean fruits and tree crops. Frontiers in Plant Science 14
4. Torres CA, Figueroa CR. 2023. The Role of Plant Hormones in Fruit Response to Photooxidative and Heat Stress. Plant Hormones and Climate Change, 125-144
5. Yoo J, Sepulveda G, Rudell D, Torres CA. 2023. Comparative analysis of metabolic differences between sunburn and sunscald disorder on’Packham’s triumph’pear. Postharvest Biology and Technology 195, 112153
6. Torres, C.A., Mogollon, R. 2022. Characterization of sun-injury and prediction of sunscald on ‘Packham’s Triumph’ pears using Vis-NIR spectroscopy. Postharvest Biology and Technology 184, 111776, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2021.111776
7. Sanchez-Contreras, J., Rudell, D., Mattheis, J., Torres, C.A. 2021. Sphingolipids associated with flesh browning onset and development in ‘Cripps Pink’ apples (Malus domestica Borkh.). Postharvest Biology and Technology 180, 111623, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2021.111623.3
8. Figueroa, C. R., Jiang Cai-Zhong, Torres, C.A., Fortes A.M., Alkan N. 2021. Editorial: Regulation of Fruit Ripening and Senescence. Frontiers in Plant Science 12, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.711458
9. Concha-Meyer, A., Sepúlveda, G., Pérez-Díaz, R., Torres, C.A. 2021. Effect of preservation processing on quality attributes and phenolic profile of maqui (Aristotelia chilensis mol. Stuntz) fruit. LWT 149, 111920, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2021.111920.
10. Torres, C.A., Sepulveda, G., Mejia, N., Defilippi, B.G., Larrigaudiere, C. 2021. Understanding the key preharvest factors determining ‘Packham’s Triumph’ pear heterogeneity and impact in superficial scald development and control. Postharvest Biology and Technology 172, 111399, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2020.111399
11. McTavish, C.K., Poirier, B.C., Torres, C.A., Mattheis, J.P., Rudell, D.R. 2020. A convergence of sunlight and cold chain: The influence of sun exposure on T postharvest apple peel metabolism. Postharvest Biology and Technology 164, 111164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2020.111164.
12. Torres C.A., C. Azocar, Perez-Diaz, R., Ramos P., Sepúlveda G., Moya-Leon M.A. 2020. Photooxidative Stress Activates A Complex Multigenic Response Integrating Ethylene and Phenylpropanoids Pathways on apples. Horticulture Research, 7-22. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41438-020-0244-1
13. Morales-Quintana L., Waite J., Kalcsits L., Torres C.A., Ramos P. Sun injury on apple fruit: physiological, biochemical and molecular advances, and future challenges. 2020. Scientia Horticulturae 260, 108866. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2019.108866
14. Yuri J., Moggia C., Sepulveda A., Poblete-Echeverria C., Valdes-Gomez H., Torres, C.A. Effect of cultivar, rootstock, and growing conditions on fruit maturity and postharvest quality as part of a six-year apple trial in Chile. 2019. Scientia Horticulturae 253: 70-79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2019.04.020
15. Sanchez-Contreras, J., Torres, C. A., Hertog, M.L.A.T.M. (2019). Optimization of external Vis/NIR reflectance measurements to predict internal browning on ‘Cripps Pink’ apples. Acta Horticulturae, 1256, 211-216.  DOI 10.17660/ActaHortic.2019.1256.29
16. Torres, C.A., Valdivia, A., Jorquera, G., Hernandez, O. (2019). The use of DA meter to assess apple and pear maturity in Chile. Acta Horticulturae, 1256, 63-70. 10.17660/ActaHortic.2019.1256.10
17. Torres, C.A., Sepulveda, G., Concha-Meyer A. Effect of processing on quality attributes and phenolic profile of quince dried bar snack. 2019. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 99(5): 2556-2564.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.9467
18. Concha-meyer A., Grandon S., Sepúlveda G., Diaz R., Yuri J., Torres C.A. Pesticide residues quantification in frozen fruit and vegetables in Chilean domestic market using QuEChERS extraction with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization Orbitrap mass spectrometry. 2019. Food Chemistry 295: 64-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.05.046
19. Grandon, S., Sanchez-Contreras, J., Torres, C.A. Prediction models for sunscald on apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) cv. Granny Smith using Vis-NIR reflectance. 2019. Postharvest Biology and Technology 151: 36-44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2019.01.012