Fruit Bites for September 6-8 ... Storage Issues

Tuesday Sep 6th, 2022 4171 Views Fruit Bites

Bob Larson

BL: Welcome back to another “Fruit Bites” brought to you by Valent U.S.A. With us again is Valent’s Allison Walston. And this week Allison, we are talking about issues that pop up while fruit is in storage.

AW: A lot of storage disorders are caused by the presence of ethylene. PGRs like ReTain inhibit the production of ethylene, so growers can use this before harvest to help decrease after harvest storage issues. Applying 7 days before harvest in Bartlett, Anjou and Stakrimson pears, has shown a reduction in scald and increase in storability.

BL: what about in apples?

AW: apples also have storage disorders including watercore and stem bowl cracking. For these disorders, low night temperatures induce ripening and high temperatures can advance maturity, both ethylene related. So, if you inhibit the ethylene before harvest, you lessen the watercore and stem bowl cracking in important apple varieties like Gala.

BL: Well, thanks Allison. Join us again next time for Fruit Bites, brought to you by Valent. Until then, I’m Bob Larson.