Factor 



10. Excess micro elements 



11. Low B 



12. Adequate B 



13. Excess B 



14. Ammonium sulphate 



15. Ammonium nitrate 



16. Urea 



17. Sodium nitrate 



18. Calcium nitrate 



Bitter Pit 



may be increased 



may be increased 



no effect 



i ncreased 



may be increased 



may be increased 



no direct increase 



no direct increase 



may be decreased? 



E. SPRAYS AND CHEMICALS 



Factor 



1. Calcium nitrate sprays 



2. Cal ci um sal ts 



3. Nutra-Phos 24 sprays 



4. Soluble boron sprays 



5. TIBA spray 



6 . Alar spray 



7. DPA spray 



8. Insecticides 



9. Fungicides 



10. Wetting agents 



11. Herbicides 



12. Anti -transpi rants 



13. Some hormones 



14. Calcium chloride dip 



Bitter Pit 

 decreased 

 decreased 

 some decrease 

 no decrease 

 greatly increased 

 slight decrease 

 slight decrease 

 ? 



? 

 ? 

 ? 



may be decreased? 

 may be decreased 

 may be decreased 



F. HARVESTING AND HANDLING 



Factor 



1. Early harvesting 



2. Del ayed storage 



3. Waxing before storage 



4. Marketing without storage 



5. Slow storage cooling 



6. High storage humidity 



7. CA storage 



Bitter Pit 



greatly increased 



hastened 



del ayed 



decreased 



hastened 



del ayed 



del ayed 



Fruit blocks with a history of bitter pit need modifications 

 in cultural and handling practices. Reduce use of nitrogen fer- 

 tilization, reduce heavy pruning, reduce fruit thinning, encourage 

 heavier crops, do not harvest early, market immediately without 

 storage or store for 2 to 3 months to be able to sort out bitter 

 pit before packing for shipment. 



Bitter pit development may to a large measure be most directly 

 due to low calcium in the peel area of apples. It is very diffi- 

 cult to increase the calcium supply to the fruit. In the Virginia 

 area, the current single best method of increasing calcium in the 



