Apples

Return bloom is a crucial factor in maintaining crop yields in apple trees year-to-year, especially in strong biennial bearing cultivars. In apples, the fate of the flower buds for the following season is determined between 4-8 weeks after full bloom. Therefore, production of high loads of fruit or vegetative tissue during this period can deplete the tree’s energy which can compromise return bloom for next year. Certain cultivars have higher tendencies for bienni-al bearing such as Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Red Delicious, and they initiate flower formation much earlier in the season than the annual cropping cultivar such as Gala, Macintosh, and Rome. Authors: Pranoy Basu & Macarena Farcuh, Ph.D. Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist University of Maryland, College Park; Title: Using Plant Growth Regulators to Improve Apple Return Bloom

The Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) Halyomorpha halys (Figs. 1 and 1a) was accidentally introduced into the United States in shipping containers arriving from Asia. The first confirmed specimen was collected in Allentown, PA in October 2001, although there is evidence that it was collected from black light traps in New Jersey as early as 2000.

The remnants of Hurricane Ida dumped much rain throughout the region. This is a reminder that any fungicides that had been applied need to be reapplied, especially since we are in the harvest season. Fruits are still susceptible to fruit rots and sooty blotch and flyspeck. In addition, Marssonina blotch is another disease that favors wet conditions. Marssonina blotch can defoliate trees quickly and, if pressure is high, potentially cause fruit issues in storage. It is important that growers remain vigilant and keep fruit covered with fungicides during the harvest period. This is especially important for later harvested varieties and varieties intended to be kept in long term storage.

What is Controlled Atmosphere and why do we use it? To maintain stored fruit quality after harvest, it is essential to understand and control key factors such as genetic background (cultivars/rootstock used), orchard management practices, environmental conditions such as orchard history, and fruit maturity at harvest and postharvest storage conditions. Harvest maturity and postharvest storage conditions are specific for most apple cultivars, so adequate preparation must be taken for each individual cultivar grown under their specific environmental conditions.

Why is texture important? Texture is a key fruit quality component when considering consumer acceptability. Fruit texture is usually perceived first with the sense of touch and then by the sensation experienced when eating it. Most consumers want a crisp, crunchy apple and a peach that is juicy and has a melting texture, meaning it yields to chewing without being mushy. Meeting these texture standards can increase fruit marketability.

Why do we need cold storage? Fruits such as apples and peaches are highly perishable and thus have a limited market life potential. Cold storage is an efficient way to maintain fruit quality, mitigate losses and maximize harvest potential. At ambient temperatures, fruit quality characteristics are rapidly changing, decreasing storability. Specifically, long-term ambient storage conditions lead to changes in color, texture, flavor (soluble solids, acidity, aroma), and nutritional value. Therefore, cold storage is a key solution to slow down these changes and thus maintain quality for longer periods of time.

Information on hard cider and ice wine production.

Sample Collection & Preparation for Perennial Fruit Crops

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