The efficiency with which postharvest storage
and handling are carried out is very important
(Halevy and Mayak, 1979, 1981). Sucrose
concentrations that are too high can damage
Eucalyptus foliage, causing browning of leaf
margins (Jones and Sedgley, 1993). An important
part of postharvest handling is correct
storage and transportation conditions, because
foliage must often travel to distant markets
with the risk of quality loss. Work carried out
by Forrest (1992) on E. gunnii showed that
foliage could be stored wet or dry for up to 4
weeks at 5 °C without damage. Similar work
with E. crenulata Blakely & Beuzev. and E.
gunnii by Jones et al. (1993, 1994) found dry
storage at 1 °C for up to 35 days did not affect longevity. We conducted our study to establish
the correct pruning height for E. globulus
trees and to find the most appropriate postharvest
solutions for a range of species and hybrids.