HANDLING APPLES FROM TREE TO TABLE 



15 



A 



B 



D 



Figure 5. — A, Blue mold rot, which is soft and watery, has a pronounced musty 

 odor and frequently is covered with bluish masses or spores. B, Very slight 

 bruises, which show prominently on a peeled apple, the emphasizing need for 

 careful handling at all times to keep the apples from being bruised. C. Bit- 

 ter pit, which occurs as brownish spongy or corky spots or pits in the flesh just 

 under the skin and usually is most prevalent on the blossom end. D, Jona- 

 than spot, a superficial skin disease that gives the apple a freckled appearance, 



been broken or injured, and also through dead calyx lobes resulting 

 from spray injury, washing injury, or other causes. Infection is more 

 likely to occur in ripe apples than in those which are still hard, and 

 also it is most likely to occur at points of contact with another fruit. 

 When apples are washed, the spores of decay organisms, especially 

 blue mold, accumulate in the washing solutions and infection of both 

 mechanical injuries and open lenticels is increased. The spore load 

 of the washing solution should be kept as low as possible by sorting 

 out rotten apples before washing, by careful handling to avoid in- 

 juries, by the periodic renewal of the washing solution, and, where 

 possible, by the use of a copious fresh water rinse. 



In the reduction of loss from blue mold rot good sanitation in and 

 around the packing house and storage rooms is important. Since culls 

 are potential sources of infection for other fruit, they should be 

 stacked outside of the packing house and then disposed of to by- 



