THE STORAGE OF JONAGOLD APPLES IN U.L.O.-CIRCUMSTANCES

To get a superb quality – crisp, green apples – after storage, and to reduce the sensitivity to storage disorders such as scald and chilling injury of Jonagold apples, the most important factors are the genetic cultivar effect, an appropriate picking time, optimum storage circumstances and regular ripening tests during the storage period.

The variability in quality and maturity makes it necessary to pick 3 to 5 times.
For the first picking time, a starch content of 50 to 60% dark surface with a firmness higher than 5.5 lbs/0.5 cm² and a fruit weight lower than 220 g per fruit is recommended.
For the middle and late picking times, apart from a starch content of 40-50% dark surface, a sufficiently green ground color (lower than 7 on the Belgian V.B.T. color chart) is required.

Lowering the oxygen concentration to 1% O₂ with 1.5% to 2% CO₂ at 0.5 to 1C reduces the appearance of scald considerably and gives crisper fruits of high quality.

Physiological Basis of Postharvest Technologies

M. Herregods, G. Goffings

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1993.343.32