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This study was conducted to investigate the changes in fruit characteristics during maturation and to detemine the optimum harvest date of early maturing cultivars, including ´Chojuro´, ´Kosui´, and ´Shinsui´ pear fruits in Naju area. The respiration of pear fruit showed climacteric pattern, and the peak appeared several days after harvest. Firmness and Hunter a value appeared to be the useful maturity indices for the optimum harvest date. Firmness of ´Chojuro´ fruit at harvest was 33N, that of ´Kosui´ and ´Shinsui was 25N. Hunter a value increased during maturation of pear fruit. The values, 10 for ´Chojuro´, -2.5 for ´Kosui´, and 5 for ´Shinsui´, were significantly different at harvest among cultivars. Soluble solid contents were about 11.1% in ´Chojuro´ and 13% in ´Kosui´ and ´Shinsui´. Juice acidity at harvest was pH 4.8 in ´Chojuro´ pears or pH 5.1 in ´Kosui´ and ´Shinsui´ pears. Hunter L and b values, pH, and water content were inadequite indices to estimate the optimum harvest date.
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