Jon Clements, Author (unless otherwise noted) and Editor
The way I see it (apple maturity report)
New England Vegetable & Fruit Conference, December 12-14, 2017, Radisson Hotel, Manchester, NH. Press Release and http://newenglandvfc.org for more information.
Jon Clements
Mostly an apple maturity report update for this week's HF. Maturity is advancing rapidly, in Belchertown the window for long-term CA storage of now-harvested Macs is almost closed. Significant Mac drop is noted unless treated with ReTain. Honeycrisp harvest should be over too. Cortland's, well they are still pretty green although being picked and sold. Ditto for Macoun. Apple maturity earlier was about normal, but it has now accelerated. Fortunately, the weather has been ideal for picking and no rain in the forecast for the next 5-6 days. All hands-on-deck and keep moving.
Note: I make it a point to maturity test fruit hat has NOT been treated with ReTain. ReTain treated apples will likely test a good pound or two firmer, and will have a starch index one point or less lower. Fruit drop is minimized, however, red skin color might be less. ReTain-treated apples typically can be harvested 1-2 weeks later than non-ReTain treated fruit.
Apple maturity report for September 19, 2017 Healthy Fruit
Note: target maturity indeces: red color, >50%; firmness, >14 lbs.; soluble solids, >12; DA, 0.60 to 0.40 for Honeycrisp, 0.65 for Gala, 1.00 for Golden Delicious, 1.15 to 1.00 for Red Delicious (higher DA = more "green"); starch index, 4-6.
| Date | Variety |
Drop? |
Diameter (inches) |
color (% red) |
Firmness (pounds) |
Soluble Solids |
Starch Index |
DA Reading |
Comments |
| 20-Sept, 2017 | some |
3.1 |
75 |
15 |
11.4 |
4 (3-6) |
NA |
economically ready for harvest, could wait until next week, uneven maturity, drop, looseness (why do we like this apple so much?) | |
| 19-Sept, 2017 | none |
3.05 |
60 |
14.3 |
11.9 |
6.5 |
1.13 |
very nice early Fuji (the best) could wait 5-6 days for harvest | |
| 19-Sept, 2017 | significant |
3.1 |
90 |
13.9 |
11.7 |
5.9 |
NA |
lots of drop, harvest of non-ReTain Macs should wrap-up ASAP | |
| 18-Sept, 2017 | none |
3.4 |
85 |
15.4 |
11.8 |
1.5 to 2 |
NA |
still green, although appear to be economically ripe | |
| 17-Sept, 2017 | none |
2.8 |
95 |
17 |
12.2 |
6.5 |
0.40 |
very nice, should be harvested ASAP | |
| 16-Sept, 2017 | significant |
3.4 |
75 |
14.2 |
13.3 |
7.5 |
0.33 |
at the end of Honeycrisp harvest |
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Scaffolds Fruit Journal: http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/scafolds/
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The next Healthy Fruit will be published on Tuesday, October 3, or thereabouts, 2017. As always feel free to get in touch with any member of the UMass Fruit Team (http://extension.umass.edu/fruitadvisor/team-members) if you have questions or comments.