Influence of the Weather Conditions of the Growing Season, Degree of Maturity and Temperature Regimes Storage on the Keeping Quality and Fruit Quality of New Apple Cultivars Bred by VNIISPK

Introduction: To maintain the high quality of apple fruits during storage, it is important that they are collected at an optimal ripeness level, and that the temperature conditions of the refrigerator are optimized, differentiated and specified for new, previously unstudied varieties.

Purpose: Determination of the influence of different temperature storage regimes on the keeping quality and quality of fruits of various apple varieties, taking into account their maturity when harvested in the garden and the duration of storage.

Materials and Methods: We analyzed the weather conditions of three accounting periods of the growing season before harvesting fruits in the garden in 2021 and 2022 (1st period – flowering – date of harvesting; 2nd – a month before harvesting; 3rd – two weeks before harvesting). The keeping quality of fruits of 5 new varieties of apple trees was studied depending on the temperature conditions of storage (+ 2 ºС and – 1 ºС).

Results: Fruits of early maturity (2022) had better keeping quality and suffered less from functional disorders (FDs) than fruits that were more mature at harvest (2021). This, along with a shorter storage period, affected the better keeping quality of fruits in 2022.There were more healthy fruits for all varieties in 2022 – 82.39% (in 2021 – 69.71%). For varieties Ivanovskoye, Patriot and Rozhdestvenskoye, the best fruit storage regime was –1 °C, for varieties Vavilovskoye and Minister Kiselev – + 2 °C. The storage mode of – 1 °C was significantly better on average for the varieties. Fetuses were affected by FDs – 16.7% (general average) and microbiological diseases (MD) – 7.2%. The mode of storage had a significant impact on the FDs of fruits.. On the contrary, there were less damaged fetuses in the mode + 2 °C than in the mode – 1 °C. Based on the analysis of the resistance of the studied varieties to the FDs and MD of fruits, a relative resistance coefficient (RCR) was developed. According to the degree of resistance to most lesions and damages, the varieties Vavilolvskoe, Ivanovskoye and Rozhdestvenskoye are classified as relatively resistant – RCR < or = 1.

Conclusion: The degree of maturity and duration of storage of fruits affect the yield of healthy fruits by variety. The reasons for the fall or increase in the resistance of fruits to damage and damage during storage may be due to various conditions that occur both before and during their long-term storage. All technological methods used, both when harvesting fruits in the garden and during their storage, should be reduced to creating the most favorable conditions for them, ensuring the preservation of their inherent stability. The group of studied varieties has a very short period of commercial implementation. It is necessary to adjust the temperature conditions and the duration of storage of the fruits of the studied varieties.

1. Anese, R. de Oliveira, Brackmann, A., Wendt, L. M., Thewes, F. R., Schultz, E. E., Ludwig, V., & Berghetti, M. R. P. (2019). Interaction of 1-methylcyclopropene, temperature and dynamic controlled atmosphere by respiratory quotient on “Galaxy”apples storage. Food Packaging and Shelf Life, 20, 100246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fpsl.2018.07.004

2. Avilova, S. V., Kornienko, V. N., Gryzunov, A. A., & Vankova, A. A. (2019). An effect of storage and transportation temperature on quantitative and qualitative composition of microflora of plant products. Food systems, 2(4), 42-47. https://doi.org/10.21323/2618-9771-2019-2-4-42-47

3. Brizzolara, S., Manganaris, G. A., Fotopoulos, V., Watkins, C. B. & Tonutti, P. (2020). Primary Metabolism in Fresh Fruits During Storage. Frontiers in Plant Science, 4(80). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.00080

4. Cao, M., Wang, D., Qiu, L. Ren, X., & Ma, H. (2021). Shelf life prediction of “Royal Gala” apples based on quality attributes and storage temperature. Horticultural Science and Technology, 39(3), 343-355. https://doi.org/10.7235/HORT.20210031

5. Crouch, E. M., Jooste, M., Majoni, T. J., Crouch, I. J. & Bergman, H. (2015). Harvest maturity and storage duration influencing flesh browning in south african “Cripps' pink” apples. Acta Horticulturae, 1079, 121-127. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2015.1079.11

6. Dement'eva, M. I., & Vygonskii, M. I. (1988). Bolezni plodov, ovoshchei i kartofelya pri khranenii [Diseases of fruits, vegetables and potatoes during storage]. Moscow: Agropromizdat.

7. Fernandes, R. C., Steffens, C. A., Anami, J. M., Mosquera, D. J. C., Amarante, C. V. T. & Brackmann, A. (2021). Quality of “Cripps' pink” apples stored under controlled atmosphere with ultra-low and extremely low oxygen partial pressures or treated with 1-methylcyclopropene. Bragantia, 80, e5921. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4499.2021115

8. Gapper, N. E., Bowen, J. K., & Brummell, D. A. (2023). Biotechnological approaches for predicting and controlling apple storage disorders. Current Opinionin Biotechnology, 79, 102851. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102851

9. Gapper, N. E., Hertog, M. L. A. T. M., Lee, J. Buchanan, D. A., Leisso, R. S., Fei, Z., Qu, G., Giovannoni, J. J., Johnston, J. W., Schaffer, R. J., Nicolaï, B. M., Mattheis, J. P. Watkins, C. B., & Rudell, D. R. (2017). Delayed response to cold stress is characterized by successive metabolic shifts culminating in apple fruit peel necrosis. BMC Plant Biology, 17, 77. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-017-1030-6

10. Gudkovsky, V. A., Kozhina, L. V., Nazarov, Yu. B. Sutormina, A. V, & Akishin, D. V. (2021).Keeping ability of apple fruits of new cultivars under different storage technologies. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 845(1), 012099. IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/845/1/012099

11. Jan, I., & Rab, A. (2012). Influence of storage duration on physico-chemical changes in fruit of apple cultivars. The Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences, 22(3), 708-714.

12. Kader, A. A. (1986). Biochemical and physiological basis for effects of controlled and modified atmospheres on fruits and vegetables. Food Technology, 40, 99-100, 102-104.

13. Karagiannis, E., Michailidis, M., Tanou, G., Samiotaki, M., Karamanoli, K., Avramidou, E., Ganopoulos, I, Madesis, P. &Molassiotis, A. (2018). Ethylene-dependent and–independent superficial scald resistance mechanisms in ‘Granny Smith’ apple fruit. ScientificReports, 8(1), Article 11436. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-29706-x

14. Khorshidi, J. (2010). Storage temperature effects on the postharvest quality of apple (Malus domestica Borkh. cv. Red Delicious). New York Science Journal, 3(3), 67-70.

15. Lee, S.K., & Kader, A.A. (2020). Preharvest and postharvest factors influencing Vitamin C content of horticultural crops. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 20, 207-220.

16. Lu, X., Liu, X., Li, S., Wang, X. & Zhang, L. (2011). Possible mechanisms of warming effects for amelioration of superficial scald. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 62(1), 43-49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2011.04.008

17. McCormick, R., Neuwald, D. A., & Streif, J. (2012). Commercial apple ca storage temperature regimes with 1-mcp (smartfreshtm): benefits and risks. Acta Horticulturae, 934, 263-270. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2012.934.32

18. McCormick, R.J., Biegert, K., & Streif, J. (2021). Occurrence of physiological browning disorders in stored “Braeburn” apples as influenced by orchard and weather conditions. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 177, 111534. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2021.111534

19. Mohebi, M., Babalar, M., Askari, M. A., Talaei, A., & Barker, A. V. (2017). Effects of Harvest Date on Apple Fruit Quality at Harvesting and after Cold Storage. International Journal of Horticultural Science and Technology, 4(1); June 2017, 21-27. https://doi.org/10.22059/ijhst.2018.210156.134

20. Nikitin, A. L. (1999). Kachestvo I lezhkost' plodov novykh sortov immunnykh I vysokoustoichivykh k parshe sortov yabloni, vyrashchennykh v sadakh intensivnogo tipa [The quality and hardiness of the fruits of new varieties of immune and highly resistant to scab apple varieties grown in intensive type gardens] [Candidate Dissertation, Michurinskii gosudarstvennyi agrarnyi universitet]. Michurinsk, Russia.

21. Nikitin, A. L., &Makarkina, M. A. (2019). Vliyanie meteouslovij na lezhkost' plodov immunnyh k parshe kolonnovidnyh sortov yabloni [Effect of meteorological conditions on storability of the scab-immune columnar apple varieties]. Food Processing: Techniques and Technology, 49(4), 545-554. https://doi.org/10.21603/2074-9414-2019-4-545-554

22. Nikitin, A. L., &Makarkina, M. A. (2020). Khranenie yablok: Proshloe, nastoyashchee, budushchee: Monografiya [Apple Storage: Past, Present, Future: Monograph]. Orel: Vserossiiskii nauchno-issledovatel'skii institute selektsii plodovykh kul'tur.

23. Nikitin, A. L., &Makarkina, M. A. (2021). Destruktivnye gidrotermicheskie factory vegetatsionnogo perioda za mesyats do uborki urozhaya, uvelichivayushchie poteri plodov yabloni ot “zagara” vo vremya khraneniya [Destructive hydrothermal factors of the growing season a month before harvesting, increasing the loss of apple fruits from “tanning” during storage]. VestnikRossiiskoisel'skokhozyaistvennoinauki [Bulletin of the Russian Agricultural Science], (6), 23-26. https://doi.org/10.30850/vrsn/2021/6/23-26

24. Nikitin, A. L., & Makarkina, M. A. (2021). Some indicators of the quality and cold storage of the fruit of new scab immune columnar apple cultivars. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 640, 062013. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/640/6/062013

25. Oyenihi, A. B., Belay, Z. A., Mditshwa, A., & Caleb, O. J. (2022). “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”: The potentials of apple bioactive constituents for chronic disease prevention. Journal of Food Science, 87(6), 2291-2309. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.16155

26. Prange, R. K., & Wright, A. H. (2023). A Review of Storage Temperature Recommendations for Apples and Pears. Foods, 12, 466. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12030466

27. Sedova, Z. A., &Gudkovskii, V. A. (1999). Izuchenie lezhkosti plodov semechkovykh kul'tur: Programma I metodika sortoizucheniya plodovykh, yagodnykh I orekhoplodnykh kul'tur [Study of the keeping quality of fruits of seed crops: Program and methodology of variety study of fruit, berry and nut crops]. Orel: Vserossiiskii nauchno-issledovatel'skii institut selektsii plodovykh kul'tur.

28. Tijskens, L. M. M., & Polderdijk, J. J. (1994). Keeping quality and temperature, quality limits and initial quality. COST94 Seminar on Quality Criteria, Bled, Slovenia, 19-21 April.

29. Van Pham, T., McConchie, R., Morris, S., Tanner, D., & Herbert, R. (2008). Prediction of firmness change in “Cripps' pink” apple during storage. Acta Horticulturae, 803, 319-326. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2008.803.41

30. Watkins, C. B., & Thompson, C. J. (1992). An evaluation of microperforated polyethylene film bags for storage of “Cox's Orange Pippin” apples. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 2, 89-100.

31. Zanella, A., & Rossi, O. (2015). Post-harvest retention of apple fruit firmness by 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment or dynamic CA storage with chlorophyll fluorescence (DCA-CF). European Journal of Horticultural Science, 80(1),11-17. http://dx.doi.org/10.17660/eJHS.2015/80.1.2