As an alternative to methyl bromide (MeBr) fumigation for the control of quarantine pests of pears (Pyrus pyrifolia cv. Niitaka), the effect of gamma irradiation (0.5~3 kGy) was comparatively investigated. Insects found in the pears were identified Tetranychus urticae Koch and Panonychus ulmi Koch, which were of quarantine importance. These insects were easily destroyed by MeBr even one day after fumigation. Whereas irradiation at 0.5~2 kGy was not enough to reach the mortality, even if 3 kGy showed the same mortality as MeBr after 17 days of treatment. Respiration of pears was stimulated by both increased doses of irradiation and MeBr fumigation. The rates of surface blackening and core browning were accelerated by MeBr rather than higher doses of irradiation. While the changes in flesh firmness and surface color were more apparent in irradiated samples at above 2 kGy than MeBr. There were negligible differences in the contents of titratable acidity, acetaldehyde and ethanol by the treatment conditions except for 3 kGy-irradiated group. Sensory evaluation showed that mere than 1 kGy was the threshold to induce the significant changes in quality of pears.