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…
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…
What have we learnt over the past ten years? By Anna Mouton. Internal browning is a post-harvest disorder in which the flesh of apples turns brown while remaining firm. The two main types are diffuse browning and radial browning. These…
Why is there so much variability? By Anna Mouton. Inconsistent fruit quality and ripening is the bane of apple growers everywhere. How is one supposed to harvest at optimum maturity when there is so much variation on the same tree?…
Three experts on post-harvest disease share advice for growers. By Anna Mouton. Post-harvest diseases start in the orchard. “What you do before harvest will largely affect what happens after harvest,” says Dr Pieter Louw, portfolio manager of crop protection at…