Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/54939
Diseases & Disorders Learn to store Honeycrisp H Honeycrisp held at high temperatures for the first week of storage reduces chilling injuries. by Melissa Hansen disorders and development of off flavors. The variety is highly sensitive to chilling— cooling fruit at 32° to 34°F sig nificantly increases chilling disorder risk. Honey- crisp also appears to be sensitive to car- bon dioxide injury when stored at rates of less than 1.5 percent oxygen and more than 1 percent carbon dioxide. To reduce incidence of storage disor- ders, Mattheis recommends controlled atmosphere rates above 2 percent oxygen and less than 1 percent carbon dioxide. He has also found benefits from applica- tions of SmartFresh (methylcyclo- propene), including reduced greasiness, loss of acidity, color change, development of off flavors, and radial internal browning. "If bitter pit is going to occur, it'll show up the next day." —Harold Ostenson oneycrisp is a dream apple, with a crispness and unique flavor that has sent retail sales soaring. But the apple is a nightmare for packers because it's prone to the kinds of disorders that are made to order for postharvest research. As researchers and industry gain more experience with the relatively new variety, storage and handling recommendations are emerging to help improve fruit quality and length of storage. A panel of Washington fruit packers, together with a scientist and consultant, assembled during statewide horticultural talks last December to share their experiences in storing the fickle variety. "Honeycrisp issues start with knowing when to pick it, to managing bitter pit and greasiness, and end with knowing how to store a variety that's highly decay-susceptible," said Dr. Jim Mattheis, U.S. Department of Agriculture postharvest physi- ologist. "I've seen postharvest things on Honeycrisp that I've never seen on any other apple. Honeycrisp provides us with real challenges in figur- ing out how to use the tools we have so that growers and packers can be successful producing and delivering high-quality fruit." When picked early (green background color with starch less than 4), Honeycrisp has good storability but might not develop the intense flavor that the variety is famous for, Mattheis said. Con- versely, late harvest, with yellow background and starch at 6, can result in greasiness, and the fruit is at highest risk for chilling ABOVE: Honeycrisp is sensitive to chilling disorders such as soggy breakdown. CENTER TOP: Radial browning is another common storage problem for Honeycrisp. CENTER MIDDLE: Soft scald can develop if Honeycrisp are subjected to cold storage temperatures right after harvest. CENTER BOTTOM: An example of bitter pit in Honeycrisp. Growers might be able to identify Honeycrisp apples prone to bitter pit before harvest by exposing fruit samples to a hot-water treatment and cutting them the next day for evaluation. 24 FEBRUARY 15, 2012 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com