`Ginger Gold': A Summer Apple with Storage Potential in CA

Abstract

`Ginger Gold' is a high-quality summer apple with potential for processing and fresh markets. Although summer cultivars typically exhibit poor storage quality, data from three seasons indicate that storage potential is high for `Ginger Gold' in low-O2 controlled atmosphere storage. In 1995, fruit harvested 25 Aug. (85N) were stored in air (0 °C), 3% O2/<2% CO2 (0 °C) or 0.7% O2/1% CO2 (0 °C) for 4 or 7 months. After 4 months, firmness of fruit stored in air, 3% O2 and 0.7% O2 were 53N, 67N, and 80N, respectively. After 7 months, apples stored in air were soft (45N) and had excessive decay (55%), cracking (48%), and breakdown (61%). However, fruit stored in 0.7% O2 were of good quality (76N, 4% decay, 4% cracking, and no breakdown). No low-oxygen injury occurred. Apples were harvested on 14, 21 and 28 Aug. 1996 (85N, 80N, and 76N, respectively) and stored in air (0(C), 1.5% O2/1% CO2 (0(C), 1% O2/1% CO2 (0 °C) or 0.7% O2/1% CO2 (0 °C). Soluble solids were (9.5 at harvest, with starch scores of 3.5–4.5. After 2 months in air the firmness began to decrease rapidly and after 4 months ranged from 49–62N. Apples stored for 4 months in CA (≤1% O2) maintained firmness >70N. In 1997, fruit were harvested 14, 21, 28 Aug. and 4 Sept. (102, 96, 89, and 82N, respectively and 12–13.3 °Brix). After 4 months in CA, fruit were still of high quality (>83N, > 13.2 °Brix).