To clarify the relationship between the occurrence of a cork spot-like disorder and the maturation time of fruit in the Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) 'Akizuki', the effects of the flower position and flowering time on the occurrence of this disorder were investigated. The fruit from the sixth to eighth flowers in a flower cluster matured later and displayed more cork spots than those from the second to fifth flowers. Moreover, the fruits of 'Akizuki' and 'Oushuu' were treated with ethephon

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... chloroethylphosphonic acid). The 'Akizuki' fruit treated with ethephon around 100 days after full bloom matured earlier than the control fruit, and had only a few cork spots. The 'Oushuu' fruit treated with ethephon also had fewer cork spots, but displayed severer water-soaked disorder. These results suggest that making trees bear fruit from the second to fifth flower in a cluster and spraying ethephon on fruits after around 100 days after full bloom were effective for reducing the occurrence of cork spot-like disorder.