BITTER PIT-LIKE SYMPTOMS IN QUINCES; EFFECT OF CALCIUM AND BORON SPRAYS ON THE CONTROL OF THE DISORDER

A new disorder caused serious losses in quinces in several parts of Greece during the last few years.
The affected fruit developed necrotic tissue which became obvious mainly after harvest, during storage.
No pathogenic micro-organism was found to be associated with fruit lesions and the trees grew and cropped well.

There is no information in the literature on the type of injury of quince fruit reported here although, in an early report, Christoff (1935) recorded bitter pit development along with other symptoms observed on apple, pear and quince trees infected by virus diseases.
The visual symptoms of the disorder, which are described below, were similar in some respects to bitter pit of apples.
For this reason, the possible corrective effects of both calcium and boron were investigated in a foliar spray trial carried out in two successive years.

Symposium on Mineral Nutrition and Fruit Quality of Temperate Zone Fruit Trees

C.D. HOLEVAS, D.A. BIRIS

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1980.92.51