Yosef Al Shoffe
Senior Research Associate, School of Integrative Plant Science Horticulture Section
My research is focused on postharvest physiology and technology from both basic and applied aspects. My background, passion and interest in conducting postharvest research that is important for industry success equips me well to expand my knowledge and approach in a range of horticultural crops to support and serve the New York fruit and vegetable postharvest industry. I look to develop integrative physiological, biochemical, molecular and technological approaches to understand, manage and develop fruit and vegetable postharvest physiology to make contributions to the big picture goals of improving agriculture production, while limiting its impact on the environment, by minimizing loss and waste of fruit and vegetables.
Interests
Postharvest of fruit and vegetable
Storage systems
Safety and sustainability
Recent Research
The research focus of the laboratory is on apples, but has included projects on sweet potatoes, cherries, pears, strawberries, blueberries a range of whole and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. The research program is driven by the determination to meet the needs of an industry that is innovative and undergoing tremendous change towards new cultivars and the adoption of new technologies such as dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA) storage. I have also been involved in basic and applied research projects, including national collaborations, to investigate the effects of pre-harvest application of plant growth regulators such as the ethylene inhibitors, 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP); Harvista™, and aminoethoxyvinylglycine (Retain®), along with postharvest 1-MCP on fruit quality, storability, physiological disorder development and shelf life. We are currently working on stress responses of apple fruit in low oxygen storage, including ethylene metabolism, sugar metabolism, antioxidants, enzyme activity, gene expression, sensory evaluation, aroma volatiles, physiological disorder development and apple fruit microbiome.
Outreach and Extension Focus
My goal is to provide diagnosis of postharvest storage problems for New York State growers and storage operators.
Selected Journal Publications
- Park, D., Al Shoffe, Y., Algul, B., Christopher B. Watkins. 2022. Fermentative metabolism of three apple cultivars during storage at low oxygen. Postharvest Biol. Technol. 193: p. 112037. 10.1016/j.postharvbio.2022.112037
- Al Shoffe, Y., Nock, J.F., Zhang, Y., Watkins, C.B. 2021. Pre- and post-harvest γ-aminobutyric acid application in relation to fruit quality and physiological disorder development in ‘Honeycrisp’ apples. Scientia Hortic. 289:110431. doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2021.110431
- Algul, B.E., Al Shoffe, Y., Park, D.S., Miller, W.B., Watkins, C.B. 2021. Preharvest 1-methylcyclopropene treatment enhances stress-associated watercore loss in ‘Jonagold’ apples. Postharvest Biol. Technol. 181: 111689. doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2021.111689
- Al Shoffe, Y., Nock, J.F., Zhang, Y., Watkins, C.B. 2021. Physiological disorder development of ‘Honeycrisp’ apples after pre- and post-harvest 1-methycyclopropene (1-MCP) treatments. Postharvest Biol. Technol. 182: 111703. doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2021.111703
- Al Shoffe, Y., Nock, F.N., Baugher, T.A., Marini, R., Watkins, C.B. 2020. Bitter pit and soft scald development during storage of unconditioned and conditioned ‘Honeycrisp’ apples in relation to mineral contents and harvest indices. Postharvest Biol. Technol. 160: 111044. doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2019.111044
Contact Information
163 Plant Science Building
Ithaca, NY 14853
yas24 [at] cornell.edu
Research experience
Research Associate
Cornell University
2016- 2022Post Doctoral fellowship
Cornell University
2013- 2016Education
Doctorate
Damascus University, Syria
2011Master of Science
Ain Shams University, Egypt
2005Bachelor of Science
Damascus University, Syria
1999