Negative corona discharge and parallel plate electrode configurations were used to investigate the efficacy of intermittent and continuous electric field treatment in retardation of respiration and suppression of climacteric peak in apples (Malus domestica Borkh, c.v. Fuji, Sansa, Starking Delicious and Golden Delicious) post-harvest. Direct current electric field was generated by a 50 Hz alternating current supply. The electrodes were kept 8 cm apart. Climacteric peak CO2 evolution in apples stored at 0, 10 and 23 degreesC were affected by high electric field treatment. Treatment of apples in high electric field suppressed CO2 evolution at climacteric peak. Both treatments in a uniform field of parallel aluminum plate electrode and a negative corona discharge field retarded respiration in apples. Further, the direction of electric field using the parallel aluminum plate electrode influenced apple respiration. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.