Pre-harvest conditions associated with Staccato sweet cherry fruit quality: mineral status in leaves and fruitlets and orchard growing factors

Abstract

Data obtained over three growing years were examined with principal component analysis to study how cherry quality was affected by pre-harvest mineral status in leaves and fruitlets and by orchard growing factors. Higher foliar levels of calcium were correlated with lower levels of pitting and pebbling in stored cherries, however there was no relationship with these disorders and fruitlet calcium content. Temperature and leaf size were associated with pebbling and pitting levels in stored cherries. Leaf and fruitlet mineral content are not the only factors to be considered in understanding fruit quality; environmental effects and management techniques should also be considered.