Why does it occur, and how can it be prevented? By Anna Mouton. Superficial scald is a postharvest storage disorder of apples and pears characterised by brown or black areas on their skins. Their flesh is usually normal, but the…
What can physiological profiling tell us about this Cripps Pink mutation? By Anna Mouton. Apple growers are always on the lookout for new Cripps Pink strains that can deliver higher Class 1 pack-outs. Lady in Red is one such promising…
Post-harvest innovation has helped South Africa become a global leader in Forelle pear production and exports. Updated from an article originally published in Fresh Quarterly issue 3. Forelle has been around for 350 years, says Dr Ian Crouch, managing director…
Understanding the cold sterilisation of dual-temperature plums. By Esté Beerwinkel. Yin and yang describe how seemingly opposite forces may actually be complementary. Dual-temperature plums need both moderate and cold temperatures to be successful on the international markets. In this Q&A,…
The many browning disorders of Cripps Pink clones. By Anna Mouton “What’s amazing about browning in the Cripps Pink clones is that there are so many kinds,” says Dr Elke Crouch, post-harvest physiology and technology researcher at Stellenbosch University. “And…
Compiled by Store‐it Group for Hortgro Science. NOTE: these best-practice guidelines are regularly updated. Please consult the Hortgro website for the latest version. What is the correct harvest maturity for long-term storage? Starch breakdown <40%. Optimum is 20%–30%. Can be…
Strategies to mitigate the risk of internal browning. By Anna Mouton. “Internal browning touches people’s pockets,” says Dr Elke Crouch, a post-harvest physiologist with the Department of Horticultural Sciences at Stellenbosch University. “Particularly in Cripps Pink, because it’s a high…
Finding the best long-term storage strategy for Granny Smith apples. By Grethe Bestbier. For acceptance by international markets, not even 1% of a shipment of Granny Smith apples may be affected by superficial scald. Unfortunately, this cultivar is especially prone…
Environmental conditions after harvest can make or break stone-fruit quality. By Anna Mouton. “Low temperatures are important for maintaining fruit quality,” says Handré Viljoen, stone-fruit research manager at ExperiCo. “At the correct temperatures the fruit will develop fewer internal defects…