Articles
Reasons for the appearance of skin burning disorder in Gala apples from regular air storage
Article number
1386_41
Pages
305 – 308
Language
English
Abstract
During recent years Gala apples from regular air storage in Germany have shown skin burning symptoms, a physiological disorder which so far has only been known for different varieties in fruit from controlled atmosphere and which has been mainly related to increased CO2-levels in the atmosphere.
In order to investigate the reasons for the disorder and the sensitivity of the fruit, a two-year trial was carried out at the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences in Freising, Germany.
The apples were harvested early and late (Streif index: 0.11 and 0.09 in 2017; 0.1 and 0.07 in 2018), at both maturity stages half of the batch with low and half with high percentage of blush colour.
The parameters for maturity and quality (firmness (kg cm‑2), starch degradation (1-10), total soluble solids (°Brix), titratable acidity (g L‑1) and skin colour (°h)) were measured before storage and the percentage of blush colour was estimated.
Within one week after harvest half of the apples from each harvest date and colour-group was treated with 1-MCP (625 ppb). After 29 (2017) and 26 weeks (2018) of storage and a following shelf-life period of 1 week at 20°C the percentage of fruit with skin burning symptoms was evaluated in all treatments.
Results show, that an earlier harvest date as well as poor blush colour led to a higher percentage of fruit with skin burning symptoms.
In addition, 1-MCP treatment increased the sensitivity of the fruit for the disorder.
For Gala apples from the Lake Constance region, an optimal harvest date in combination with good blush colour seem to be important factors in reducing skin burning during cold storage.
Especially for early harvested fruit with poor colouring 1-MCP can increase the disorder.
In order to investigate the reasons for the disorder and the sensitivity of the fruit, a two-year trial was carried out at the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences in Freising, Germany.
The apples were harvested early and late (Streif index: 0.11 and 0.09 in 2017; 0.1 and 0.07 in 2018), at both maturity stages half of the batch with low and half with high percentage of blush colour.
The parameters for maturity and quality (firmness (kg cm‑2), starch degradation (1-10), total soluble solids (°Brix), titratable acidity (g L‑1) and skin colour (°h)) were measured before storage and the percentage of blush colour was estimated.
Within one week after harvest half of the apples from each harvest date and colour-group was treated with 1-MCP (625 ppb). After 29 (2017) and 26 weeks (2018) of storage and a following shelf-life period of 1 week at 20°C the percentage of fruit with skin burning symptoms was evaluated in all treatments.
Results show, that an earlier harvest date as well as poor blush colour led to a higher percentage of fruit with skin burning symptoms.
In addition, 1-MCP treatment increased the sensitivity of the fruit for the disorder.
For Gala apples from the Lake Constance region, an optimal harvest date in combination with good blush colour seem to be important factors in reducing skin burning during cold storage.
Especially for early harvested fruit with poor colouring 1-MCP can increase the disorder.
Authors
D. Kittemann, E. Weinmann
Keywords
skin burning, regular air storage, early harvest, late harvest, blush colour, 1-MCP, Gala apples
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