internal browning at harvest

10 years ago

I have found quite a number of my honeycrisps this year have some degree of internal browning...mostly quite mild and diffuse over 1/2 the fruit and starting about 1/4-1/2" below the skin, and not running to the core.

I had the same problem last year, but to a much lesser extent.

The fruit is otherwise clean. the browning is mild and does not appreciably effect the taste or texture. Not mushy, and does not seem to be rapidly spreading or worsening in storage

There is some dimpling on the fruit surface that I believe may be bitter pit, but it lacks any visible connection to the browned zones. Nor does there seem to be a correlation between the amount /presence of dimpling and the degree/presence of the internal browning.

any thoughts?

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Comments (12)

lucky_p
10 years ago
water core?
Konrad___far_north
10 years ago
Can you show us a cut half.
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windfall_rob
Original Author
10 years ago
Definitely not watercore. I have seen that before.

Yeah, I knew I should have posted a pic. I will try to get one up tomorrow.

It's odd, something I have not encountered before, and it is only effecting my honeycrisps.
Last year I thought the ones I was seeing were some of the drops I picked up...thinking perhaps it was some sort of mild internal bruising. But that is not the case.

AMF damage popped to mind as well, but we saw almost none in the orchard this year, and there are definitely no tunnels (visible to naked eye) associated with the discolored areas.
Konrad___far_north
10 years ago
Some Apple Maggot damage I've seen browning without tunnels.
Fascist_Nation
10 years ago
Cork spot and bitter pit. Happens in apples and pears. Caused by calcium deficiency. edible but unattractive.

see fig 1: http://www.extension.org/pages/66262/bitter-pit-and-calcium-deficiencies-in-apple-fruit#.UncvYN037Gs

Here is a link that might be useful: Cork Spot and Bitter Pit of Apples
alan haigh
10 years ago
Did you ever see any stink bugs on the fruit? The bumps look like bug damage but browning doesn't usually go quite so deep into fruit. Was all affected fruit bumpy?
windfall_rob
Original Author
10 years ago
I don't think it's cork spot...I have seen small amounts of that in fruit before.
The browning is much more diffuse and mild, over large areas. But that was a good guess working from my description.

HArvestman, those pics are not my fruit, just Fascist NAtion trying to provide an example..

I should have known better than to post this kind of question without taking some pics to go with it. Last few days were a bit mad here. gonna try to get one up later today.
alan haigh
10 years ago
Should have read the words with pics. I do seem to get similar problems from stink bugs- but on pears.

Honeycrisp is known for storage disorders when kept close to freezing. Were there any frosts before harvest- even very light ones?
windfall_rob
Original Author
10 years ago
I will double check my records but pretty sure we had no frost prior to harvest...although I do believe there was one night quite close....I had thought storage might be the issue earlier. Thinking that perhaps the fruit stored in the fridge got a bit too cold, but then I found the same problem in apples that were cellared.

I do think this is a variety specific issue. None of the other apples in the orchard show even a hint of it, this year or last.

I do let the honeycrisps hang as long as possible. I find the flavor improves greatly in complexity with those few extra weeks past "ripe", and I have never had them go mealy or soft on the tree. But both this year and last conditions let me wait until late october to harvest the bulk....that is unusually late up here.

still no pics...between myself and the kids we ate 4 today but they were all fine. Next time I get one with the issue I will be sure to take a shot.
alan haigh
10 years ago
I also seem to have to hold them on the tree to the bitter end to get the fruit to fully flavor up. When the trees first started baring this wasn't the case. This may be the reason you are having the problems- you are keeping the fruit on the tree well after seeds have reached maturity.

For me the majority of the fruit develops rot before the fruit is actually worth eating but these are the typical round circles of rot that starts on the exterior.

Until this season I assumed the issue was early springs and very warm weather when they ripened but this year should have been perfect. The fruit was huge and beautiful but bland. By the time it flavored up, 80% of the fruit had huge rot spots or had already dropped off the tree.

I have only one site where this apple is actually worth growing, it seems, but I will keep working on it. Next year I won't thin until shortly before they start to ripen. I don't want to have to do all the requisite calcium sprays is the thing. Not that big of a fan.
windfall_rob
Original Author
10 years ago
A bit more searching and I am pretty sure what I am seeing is early stage or mild soggy breakdown....which is made more prevalent by late harvest (guilty) and colder storage (several nights close to freezing).

Harvestman, We have had terrible trouble with the rots you describe some years (on honeycrisp)....but this year virtually none. the years we get rots, also tend to be the years we get a lot of early drops and heavy dropping at ripe....again this year that tree held the fruit very well.

It is a fussy apple, but we all enjoy it tremendously when the flavor comes in at the end....and I do love the crunch.
bossyvossy
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Is this fruit edible, kiefer pear. Some fruit,m was spotted, not all.

internal browning at harvest

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lucky_p

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internal browning at harvest

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