Discolor diagnostics for storage problems

MAIA-1, the apple marketed as EverCrisp, retains nicely in storage. However retailer any apple selection lengthy sufficient and physiological problems will start to emerge. 

Cornell College researchers Yosef Al Shoffe and Chris Watkins are finding out EverCrisp’s storage traits, particularly its tendency to develop core and flesh browning. Based mostly on their findings to date, they suggest storing EverCrisp fruit at 38 levels Fahrenheit. And so they don’t suggest utilizing 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), which leads to the event of core browning. 

“It appears fairly clear that 1-MCP is problematic after a sure level,” mentioned Ryan Hess, grower providers supervisor for Hess Bros. Fruit Co. “Storage temperature is essential, too.” 

Hess Bros., primarily based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, shops fruit for Pennsylvania and New York growers. The Hess staff seen EverCrisp’s tendency to develop inner browning in storage. As a result of most of their MAIA-1 apples come from New York, they requested Cornell postharvest researchers to review the issue, Hess mentioned. 

MAIA-1 can be prone to watercore at harvest and greasy pores and skin, which might complicate fruit waxing. ReTain (aminoethoxyvinylglycine) can scale back watercore and greasiness, but it surely additionally impacts fruit shade. The Cornell researchers plan to conduct extra research to realize a greater understanding of MAIA-1’s browning mechanism, in addition to the consequences of preharvest plant development regulators like ReTain, Al Shoffe mentioned. 

Within the preliminary research, funded by the U.S. Division of Agriculture’s Nationwide Institute of Meals and Agriculture, they saved EverCrisp apples at 33 levels and 38 levels. In addition they in contrast 1-MCP-treated fruit with untreated fruit below every temperature regime. Storage at 33 levels slowed fruit ripening and resulted in firmer flesh, but it surely additionally made the apples extra prone to core and flesh browning. The usage of 1-MCP at both storage temperature resulted in some improvement of inner browning, Al Shoffe mentioned. 

EverCrisp apples that aren’t handled with 1-MCP in storage usually tend to develop greasy pores and skin. Storage operators are nonetheless determining how one can handle that, Hess mentioned. 

The outcomes recommend MAIA-1 is extremely delicate to accidents if saved at low temperatures, as is certainly one of its dad and mom: Honeycrisp. It is likely to be as a result of storage at 33 levels and using 1-MCP markedly scale back the fruit’s ethylene manufacturing, which is a part of its protection system and protects towards free radicals that injury plant cells, Al Shoffe mentioned. 

The disadvantages of storing EverCrisp at 38 levels are that it can lead to greasier pores and skin and decrease flesh firmness. The extent of flesh firmness, nonetheless, continues to be acceptable, even at seven months of storage with out 1-MCP therapies, in response to Al Shoffe and Watkins. 

—by Matt Milkovich