The University of Maine Suggestions for Improving the Storage Potential of Honeycrisp Renae Moran rmoran@maine.edu (207) 933-2100 http://extension.umaine.edu/fruit
Start with Good Quality Fertility Balance N and K N based on soil fertility and foliar analysis Reduce N for better color Annual K 80 100 lbs. K 2 O / acre Less soggy breakdown? Better shoot growth and fruit color
Fruit Color USDA Standards for Grades All apple varieties other than those appearing in Table I shall have no color requirements pertaining to these grades. Table 1. Red Delicious / Delicious Red Rome / Rome Beauty Empire Idared Winesap Jonathan Stayman McIntosh York
Crop Load - Fruit Color, Flavor, Firmness 6 fruit / cm 2 LCA Hand Thinning with Equili-Fruit Disc Limb diameter 1-2 inches from the trunk Notch size indicates LCA (metric) F number indicated the right crop load for that limb Plus or minus the number in the triangle Limbs that have not been headed Pruning buds Chemical Thinning Hand Thinning
Spraying hormones to promote flowering NAA and/or Ethephon 3X in summer Winzeler and Schupp, Penn State Univ. http://extension.psu.edu/plants/tree-fruit/news/2015/promoting-return-bloom-of-apple-trees
Post Harvest Losses Bitter Pit Soft Scald (chilling injury) Soggy Breakdown (chilling injury) CA Injury Senescent Breakdown Skin Greasiness Loss of Flavor
When to Harvest? Internal ethylene is a poor indicator of fruit maturity in Honeycrisp. 200 Ethylene (ppm) 150 100 50 0 Sept. 20Sept. 25Sept. 30 Oct. 5 Oct. 10 Oct. 15
Starch Staining Pattern
Ground Color in Honeycrisp
The DA Meter Cost - $3500 Portable Easy to Use Rapid Measurement Nondestructive Apples, Pears, Peaches, other fruits Avoid Bright Sunlight Avoid Wet Surfaces
How It Works Absorbance of light by the apple peel 670 nm red light 720 nm far red light Chlorophyll a absorbs red light Abs 670 Abs 720 = DA reading (0 to 5.0) Gradual reduction with loss of Chlorophyll
Research in 2015 Segregating Fruit by DA Reading 4 orchard blocks 4 boxes per block 2 harvest dates Conditioning Cold storage at 34-36F > 0.9 0.6 to 0.9 0.3 to 0.6 < 0.3
Condition Ripe Apples (5 to 7 days at 50 to 80 F) 100 80 None 5-7 days Soft Scald (%) 60 40 20 0 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2013 Year Temperature in storage was 33 to 36 F.
Bitter Pit in Conditioned Apples 50 40 None Conditioned % 30 20 10 0 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2010 2011 2012 2013 Temperature in storage was 33 to 36 F.
Ethephon Studies to Reduce Fruit Size and Bitter Pit 2013 Harvest 12 days earlier 40% reduction in size No bitter pit this year Cold storage until Jan. 2014 Harvest 16 days earlier 10% reduction in size Orchard 1: Orchard 2: No reduction in bitter pit No bitter pit Cold storage until Jan.
Soggy Breakdown in Conditioned Apples 50 Soggy Breakdown (%) 40 30 20 10 None Conditioned 0 2008 2010 2011 2012 2013 Temperature in storage was 33 to 36 F.
Store at Temperatures Above 36 F Storage at 34 F Storage at 37 F 50 40 Control Conditioned 50 40 30 30 20 20 10 10 0 1st 2nd 3rd Harvest Time 0 1st 2nd 3rd Harvest Time
CA Storage Recommendations Only for long-duration storage (> 5 months) Harvest at a starch index of 5.0 to 6.0 Condition prior to cold storage Low Carbon Dioxide (< 1%) initially Oxygen at 3% Circulation of gases DPA before conditioning Temperature of 38 F 1-MCP (SmartFresh) if needed Cold Air Storage Recommendations Harvest at the right maturity for the expected duration long duration (5 to 7 months) starch index of 5 to 6 short duration (2 to 4 months) starch index of 6 to 8 Condition prior to cold storage 1-MCP for long duration storage or late harvest Low risk Temperature of 37 F possible quality loss High risk Temperature of 34 F possible chilling injury NE1336 Multistate Research
Many Thanks to: Greg Koller Peter Lugner Ricker Hill Orchards New England Tree Fruit Growers Research Committee Maine Dept. of Ag., C. & F.