UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



DEPARTMENT BULLETIN NO. 1448 



Washington, D. C. 



October, 1926 



PICKING MATURITY OF APPLES IN RELATION TO STORAGE 



By J. R. Magness, Physiologist ; H. C. Diehl, Assistant Physiologist ; and M. H. 

 Haller, Junior Poruologist, Office of Horticulture, Bureau of Plant Industry 



CONTENTS 



Introduction 



Changes in apples as they approach 



picking maturity 



Methods for determining changes in- 

 dicating proper time for picking 



Page 



1 



Page 

 Time of picking in relation to variety 



characteristics 6 



Relation of time of picking to han- 

 dling 18 



Summary 18 



INTRODUCTION 



The time of picking of different apple varieties has a very marked 

 bearing upon the manner in which these varieties hold up in storage. 

 With many varieties there is a tendency on the part of the growers 

 to pick the fruit too early, resulting in excessive development of 

 storage scald, shriveling in storage, and oftentimes a poor dessert 

 quality. With other varieties the storage quality would be greatly 

 improved by picking the fruit even somewhat earlier than is now 

 generally practiced. The best time for picking any variety will also 

 vary somewhat with the storage treatment the fruit is to receive. 



Each individual variety is a problem in itself in regard to the best 

 time for removing the fruit from the tree. Whether or not a variety 

 tends to develop storage scald or whether it breaks down in storage 

 through becoming overripe and mealy or shows breakdown in the 

 flesh are important factors in determining when to pick the fruit. 

 Oftentimes the best condition for picking will vary in the same va- 

 riety, depending upon the climatic conditions prevailing in different 

 parts of the country. 



During the last four years investigations have been carried on rela- 

 tive to the changes which occur in several varieties of apples as they 

 ripen on the tree as well as to the behavior of the fruit while being 

 held in storage following picking. The detailed results of a portion 

 of these investigations have been reported in a recent publication. 1 



1 Magness, J. R.. and others, the ripexixg, storage, and handling of apples. 

 U. S. Dept Apr. Bui. 1406, 64 p., illus. 1926. 



4198°— 26 1 



