12/03/2026
Superficial scald development in 'Cripps Red' Apples: Influence of Harvest Maturity, Chemical Pre-treatments and Storage Conditions
📝A recent study investigated how harvest maturity, chemical pre-treatments, and storage conditions influence scald development and apple quality in ‘Cripps Red’ apples
💵The study reports that in South Africa, a high incidence of superficial scald in ‘Cripps Red’ apples over the past three years has resulted in an estimated financial loss of approximately 4 million Rand annually.
🟩This significant loss underscores the economic impact of physiological disorders such as scald on producers and highlights the urgent need for improved postharvest management strategies to mitigate these issues and reduce economic damage.
📝The study recommends the following practices for farmers regarding ‘Cripps Red’ apples:
🍎Apples should be harvested at optimal maturity, approximately 19 weeks after full bloom, to achieve the best quality and minimize physiological disorders such as superficial scald.
⌬Application of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) prior to cold storage effectively slows down ripening and reduces scald development. However, 1-MCP treatment may increase the incidence of leather blotch disorder, requiring monitoring during storage.
🧊When cold storage is not available, storing apples at ambient temperature (around 18 °C) is feasible for short durations, but apples should ideally be sold within about 4 weeks to maintain quality and reduce physiological disorders.
🔍Regular inspection for physiological disorders such as scald, leather blotch, and senescence scald is important, particularly as these disorders are influenced by harvest maturity, storage duration, and treatment.
🍎Fruit firmness and weight decline more rapidly during ambient storage compared to cold storage, underscoring the importance of appropriate harvest timing and storage environment to preserve fruit quality.
🗒Implementing these guidelines helps farmers, especially smallholders without access to cold storage, to manage apple quality and reduce postharvest losses, thereby improving marketability and income.
📝Full article: https://lnkd.in/eww7MFhT
