There were no differences in fi-uit weight 

 among strains in 1990, but in 1991, Regal Gala 

 stood alone as the strain with the largest finiit 

 (Table 3). Strains differed in flesh firmness and 

 soluble solids but the differences were not con- 

 sistent in the two years evaluated. All strains of 

 Gala colored well, although red coloring selec- 

 tions generally had more red color. Quantitative 

 differences in red color among red coloring 

 sports were not consistent. Regal had the high- 

 est ground color rating, indicating a greater loss 

 of chlorophyll. Strains did not differ in either 

 starch index or length-to-diameter ratio. Sig- 

 nificant stem-end cracking did not occur vmtil 

 the last harvest in 1991 and then it occurred 

 only on Regal Gala. 



There were clear indications that Regal Gala 

 was an early maturing strain. As Gala ripen, 

 ground color index, starch index, red color, 

 soluble sohds and finiit cracking increase. Regal 

 Gala differed consistently from the other strains 

 in each of these characteristics in a way that 

 indicated advanced ripening. 



Cracking at harvest has been cited as a 

 problem with Gala in some areas, and that 



problem may be associated with uneven ripen- 

 ing. If trees are thinned properly and pruned to 

 allow good light penetration, we have observed 

 that Gala can be picked injust two harvests. No 

 significant cracking occurred until the last har- 

 vest, and even then, it was restricted to Regal 

 Gala. All strains could have been harvested 

 before September 19, 1991, and Regal Gala a 

 week earlier, when cracking was minimal. 

 Therefore, we feel that cracking is not a problem 

 with Gala if finiit are harvested at the proper 

 time. When cracking does become a problem, 

 fi-uit maturity has advanced to a point where 

 fi-uit feel 'greasy*, and the postharvest life has 

 been diminished significantly. 



Sensory and Visual Evaluation 



In 1991, sensory and visued evaluation of 

 strains (Table 4) was done by 17 judges includ- 

 ing pomology faculty, pomology graduate stu- 

 dents, technical assistants, and students in an 

 orchard management class. Each panelist 

 evaluated three repUcations. A replication in- 

 cluded one fi-uit of each of the five strains and one 



18 



Fruit Notes, Winter, 1993 



