-8- 



TIIE EFFECT OF COLOR ON SALES APPEAL 



Recent research studies with Mcintosh apples in Massachusetts show conclu- 

 sively that mechanical injury (bruises and stem punctures) is the principal 

 cause of off-grade apples and insufficient color is second in importance. 

 Insect and disease blemishes are relatively of minor importance due to the 

 splendid job that most growers are doing in controlling orchard pests. 



A current investigation indicates that considerable progress is being 

 made in reducing the amount of mechanical injury but persistent effort is 

 necessary on most fruit farms in order to reduce this type of injury to a 

 minimum. 



With poor color second in importance as a cause of off grade fruit, prac- 

 tices which tend to improve color need to be emphasized. 



The development of apple color has been studied at the West Virginia 

 Agricultural Experiment Station for the past twenty years and in 1956 a special 

 study was made of the effect of color on sales appeal. Results of these studies 

 have been reported in VJest Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 396, 



In their study of the development of color they found that excessive 

 nitrogen often decreases or delays color formation and that in some fertilizer 

 studies potassium has increased red color. 



While pruning, thinning, fertilization and stop-drop sprays all have an 

 effect on the development of red color, greatest progress has resulted from 

 the use of color sports of standard varieties. 



Clear, sunny, cool days v/ith low humidity help to develop highly colored 

 apples with a bright, lustrous finish while hot days with warm nights and high, 

 humidity coupled with fog or cloudiness account for poor color with a dull 

 finish. 



The experiment reported in this bulletin included a study of the effect of 

 color on the sale of Rome apples in a chain store in Charleston and Huntington, 

 West Virginia. A comparison v/as made between the sale of Rome apples in 5 lb, 

 polyethylene bags having 15 percent color and those having 50 percent color. 

 In the stores studied, sales were increased approximately 75 percent by increas- 

 ing the area of solid red color on the surface of the apples from 15 percent 

 to 50 percent with both lots selling at 5 lbs. for 49 cents. However, sales 

 were reduced approximately 43 percent ^^7hen the price of the high colored 

 apples was increased from 5 lbs. for 49 cents to 5 lbs, for 69 cents. 



0. C. Roberts 



I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 



WATER CORE AND INTERNAL BREAKDOWN 



During the 1956-57 season, internal breakdown of Delicious, Rome, and 

 Spy apples was a rather serious problem. At least with Delicious it was known 



