Unusual Weather Slows Michigan Apple Maturity

Randy Beaudry of Michigan State University (MSU) Extension, Department of Horticulture, reports the state’s apple crop is slow to mature this season. Beaudry suspects the unusual weather patterns play a significant part in the pace of maturity.

Advertisement

“Cool nights have translated into intense color formation, but we are beginning to see the red pigment bleeding into the flesh in some locations. The relatively abundant rainfall has contributed to good fruit size, but ‘watery’ fruit do not typically store well. In fact, the low Brix noted may, in part, be due to the availability of water. Further, the cool season and low-light levels during the season may have further limited photosynthesis, preventing the accumulation of sugars to their normal levels,” he says.

Soluble solids are about 1% lower than normal and ethylene levels are lower than what is typical for the varieties MSU is tracking, he writes.

“These low ethylene levels may be affecting the formation of the abscission zone for the fruit, resulting in apples that are less prone to drop or be knocked off during harvest,” Beaudry says.

Click here to read more from the report.

Top Articles
Have a Plan For Climate Change? Why Fruit Growers Need To Act Now

Source: Michigan State University Extension bulletin

0