Tracking Pink Lady apple firmness Ian Wilkinson Agriculture Victoria Project Number: AP01036 AP01036 This report is published by Horticulture Australia Ltd to pass on information concerning horticultural research and development undertaken for the apple and pear industry. The research contained in this report was funded by Horticulture Australia Ltd with the financial support of Rohm and Haas Australia Pty Ltd, Phosyn Nutrition Specials and the apple and pear industry. All expressions of opinion are not to be regarded as expressing the opinion of Horticulture Australia Ltd or any authority of the Australian Government. The Company and the Australian Government accept no responsibility for any of the opinions or the accuracy of the information contained in this report and readers should rely upon their own enquiries in making decisions concerning their own interests. ISBN 0 7341 1044 8 Published and distributed by: Horticultural Australia Ltd Level 1 50 Carrington Street Sydney NSW 2000 Telephone: (02) 8295 2300 Fax: (02) 8295 2399 E-Mail: [email protected] © Copyright 2005 DEPARTMENT OF Tracking Pink Lady apple firmness -- AP 01036 PRIMARY__________________________________________________________________________ INDUSTRIES TRACKING PINK LADY APPLE FIRMNESS Horticulture Australia Project Number AP 01036 (November, 2004) Final Report Ian Wilkinson, Christine Frisina, Peter Franz and Gordon Brown Department of Primary Industries Research, Victoria Knoxfield 1 Tracking Pink Lady apple firmness -- AP 01036 ___________________________________________________________________________ Horticulture Australia Project Number AP01036 Tracking Pink Lady apple firmness Final Report Project Leader: Ian Wilkinson Department of Primary Industries, Knoxfield, Private Bag 15 Ferntree Gully Delivery Centre, Vic. 3156. Phone: 03 9210 9231 FAX: 03 9800 3521 E-mail: [email protected] Other key personnel were: Christine Frisina, Technical Officer Norm Morrison, Farm support officer Mark Collins, Fruit check officer John Faragher, Scientist Bruce Tomkins, Scientist Janyce Truett, Scientist Glenn Hale, Scientist Andrew Hamilton, Scientist Pam Rogers, Technical Officer Peter Franz, Biometrician Fiona Thomson, Biometrician Chris Brien, Biometrician (University of South Australia) Colin Little, (Private consultant) Gordon Brown, (Scientific Horticulture Pty Ltd) E-mail: [email protected] Nick Sanders, (Phosyn plc) E-mail: [email protected] Purpose: 1. Determine the effects of fruit nutrient status, harvest maturity, crop load on Pink Lady apple firmness after storage and shipping. 2. Determine the effects of rootstocks and retardation on Pink Lady apple firmness. 3. Determine the effect of SmartFreshTM on Pink Lady and Jonagold apples firmness. The project was funded by the Apple and Pear Industry R&D levy, Horticultural Australia and the Department of Primary Industries, Victoria. Rohm and Haas and Phosyn plc supplied voluntary contributions. __________________________________________________________________________ 2 DPI-Knoxfield Tracking Pink Lady apple firmness -- AP 01036 __________________________________________________________________________ November 2004 Disclaimers: Any recommendations contained in this publication do not necessarily represent current Horticulture Australia policy. No person should act on the basis of the contents of this publication, whether as to matter of fact or opinion or other content, without first obtaining specific, independent professional advice in respect of the matters set out in this publication. The advice provided in this publication is intended as a source of information only. Always read the labels before using any of the products mentioned. The authors, the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaim all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. _________________________________________________________________________ 3 DPI-Knoxfield TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. MEDIA SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................5 2. TECHNICAL SUMMARY.......................................................................................................................7 3. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................10 4. GENERAL MATERIALS & METHODS.............................................................................................11 4.1 PROJECT METHODOLOGY AND EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN..........................................................................11 4.2 FRUIT QUALITY MEASUREMENTS..........................................................................................................11 5. SMARTFRESHTM ...................................................................................................................................12 TM 5.1 SMARTFRESH LITERATURE REVIEW ...................................................................................................12 TM 5.2 EFFECT OF SMARTFRESH ON THE FIRMNESS OF PINK LADY APPLES ..................................................15 TM 5.3 SIMULATED EXPORT TRIAL: EFFECT OF SMARTFRESH ON PINK LADY APPLE FIRMNESS....................49 TM 5.4 COMMERCIAL EXPORT TRIAL: EFFECT OF SMARTFRESH ON PINK LADY APPLE FIRMNESS.................54 TM 5.5 EFFECT OF SMARTFRESH ON THE STORAGE QUALITY OF TASMANIAN ‘JONAGOLD’ AND ‘GALA’ APPLES FOR DOMESTIC AND EXPORT MARKETS......................................................................................60 6. MATURITY.............................................................................................................................................65 6.1 MATURITY LITERATURE REVIEW ...........................................................................................................65 6.2 EFFECT OF HARVEST MATURITY ON PINK LADY APPLE FIRMNESS. ........................................................66 7. STORAGE AND SIMULATED SHIPPING.........................................................................................77 7.1 STORAGE AND SHIPPING LITERATURE REVIEW.......................................................................................77 7.2 EXPERIMENT 1. STORAGE EXPERIMENT.................................................................................................79 7.3 EXPERIMENT 2. STATIC SIMULATED SHIPPING EXPERIMENT .................................................................88 8. NUTRITION............................................................................................................................................95 8.1 NUTRITION LITERATURE REVIEW...........................................................................................................95 8.2 EFFECT OF EARLY SEASON FRUITLET NUTRIENT ANALYSIS ON PINK LADY APPLE FIRMNESS.................98 8.3 EFFECT OF POST HARVEST CALCIUM DIPPING ON PINK LADY APPLE FIRMNESS....................................118 9. EFFECT OF CROP LOAD AND TREE VIGOUR ON PINK LADY APPLE FIRMNESS..........120 10. WEATHER ............................................................................................................................................124 10.1 WEATHER LITERATURE REVIEW......................................................................................................124 10.2 EFFECT OF WEATHER ON PINK LADY APPLE FIRMNESS ...................................................................125 11. ROOTSTOCK AND GROWTH RETARDATION METHODS EFFECTS ON FIRMNESS AND INTERNAL BROWNING....................................................................................................................128 11.1 LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................................................128 11.2 MINIMISING INTERNAL BROWNING IN PINK LADY APPLES- SCIENTIFIC HORTICULTURE PROJECT ..130 11.3 DPI, KNOXFIELD FLESH BROWNING ...............................................................................................150 12. CONCLUSIONS....................................................................................................................................155 13. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER..............................................................................................................160 13.1 PUBLICATIONS ................................................................................................................................160 13.2 MEETINGS AND PRESENTATIONS.....................................................................................................160 13.3 IMPLEMENTATION...........................................................................................................................161 14. RECOMMENDATIONS ......................................................................................................................162 15. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.....................................................................................................................163 16. BIBLIOGRAPHY..................................................................................................................................165 17. APPENDIX ............................................................................................................................................171