Articles
POSTHARVEST INTERNAL BROWNING DURING CA STORAGE OF ‘SANTANA’ APPLES – REASONS AND POSSIBILITIES TO REDUCE THE DISORDER
Article number
1071_77
Pages
597 – 601
Language
English
Abstract
Santana is a scab resistant, early ripening apple cultivar commercially important for organic production in the Lake Constance region (southern Germany). However, Santana is highly sensitive to an internal flesh browning disorder during controlled atmosphere storage (CA). We investigated some possible reasons for the incidence of this physiological disorder and looked for methods to prevent it.
In four experimental years, organically grown Santana apples were harvested from two different orchards in the Lake Constance area.
During a
5-month storage period the influence of the following factors on disorder occurrence were investigated: preharvest calcium applications, harvest date, time of CA establishment, storage temperature and CA composition.
Weekly calcium applications (8 to 10 sprays with calcium chloride beginning after June drop until harvest) reduced internal browning during storage.
A 3-week postharvest delay in regular air (RA) before CA establishment, as successfully used to reduce internal flesh browning in other sensitive apple cultivars like Braeburn, failed and fruit from delayed CA storage showed increased browning disorders.
One key factor to control flesh browning was the level of CO2 partial pressure (0.7 to 1.0 kPa). With increased CO2 partial pressures (>3.0 kPa) a significant higher incidence of internal browning was observed.
O2 levels between 1.0 and 1.5 kPa seem to be suitable, as lower O2 levels (<1.0 kPa) potentially increase the risk for internal browning and higher O2 levels (>2.0 kPa) the risk for scald.
In addition, apples from later harvest dates were much more susceptible to browning when compared to earlier picked fruit. Santana was not sensitive to low storage temperatures.
In four experimental years, organically grown Santana apples were harvested from two different orchards in the Lake Constance area.
During a
5-month storage period the influence of the following factors on disorder occurrence were investigated: preharvest calcium applications, harvest date, time of CA establishment, storage temperature and CA composition.
Weekly calcium applications (8 to 10 sprays with calcium chloride beginning after June drop until harvest) reduced internal browning during storage.
A 3-week postharvest delay in regular air (RA) before CA establishment, as successfully used to reduce internal flesh browning in other sensitive apple cultivars like Braeburn, failed and fruit from delayed CA storage showed increased browning disorders.
One key factor to control flesh browning was the level of CO2 partial pressure (0.7 to 1.0 kPa). With increased CO2 partial pressures (>3.0 kPa) a significant higher incidence of internal browning was observed.
O2 levels between 1.0 and 1.5 kPa seem to be suitable, as lower O2 levels (<1.0 kPa) potentially increase the risk for internal browning and higher O2 levels (>2.0 kPa) the risk for scald.
In addition, apples from later harvest dates were much more susceptible to browning when compared to earlier picked fruit. Santana was not sensitive to low storage temperatures.
Authors
D.A. Neuwald, J. Streif , D. Kittemann
Keywords
Malus domestica, physiological disorders, CA delay, calcium application, harvest time, organic production
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