Controlled-atmosphere Storage of ‘Honeycrisp’ Apples

‘Honeycrisp’ is an apple [Malus xsylvestris (L.) Mill. var. domestica (Borkh.) Mansf.] that can be stored in air for several months, but the flavor becomes bland with prolonged storage. Controlled-atmosphere (CA) storage recommendations have not been made in some growing regions, however, because of the susceptibility of fruit to physiological disorders. In the first year of this study, we stored fruit from six orchards in O2 partial pressures (pO2) of 1.5, 3.0, and 4.5 kPa with 1.5 and 3.0 kPa pCO2. In the second year, we stored fruit from three orchards in three storage regimes (2.0/2.0, 3.0/1.5, 3.0/0.5 kPa O2/kPa CO2) with and without treatment of fruit with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) at the beginning and end of the conditioning regime (10 °C for 7 days) that is commercially used for ‘Honeycrisp’. CA storage had little effect on flesh firmness, soluble solids concentration (SSC), and titratable acidity (TA) over the range of pO2 and pCO2 tested. Greasiness was generally lower in fruit stored in lower pO2 and higher pCO2. Susceptibility of fruit to core browning and senescent breakdown varied between years, but a high incidence of internal CO2 injury in fruit from some orchards occurred in both years. 1-MCP treatment decreased internal ethylene concentration (IEC) and sometimes maintained TA but had little effect on firmness and SSC. Senescent breakdown and core browning incidence were reduced by 1-MCP treatment where orchard susceptibility to these disorders was high. However, 1-MCP treatment sometimes increased internal CO2 injury, especially if treatment occurred at the beginning of the conditioning period. CA storage cannot be recommended for storage of New York-grown ‘Honeycrisp’ apples until management of CO2 injury can be assured.

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Responses of ‘Honeycrisp’ Apples to Short-term Controlled Atmosphere Storage Established During Temperature Conditioning

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci14182-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 54 (9) ◽

pp. 1532-1539 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Corina Serban ◽

Lee Kalcsits ◽

Jennifer DeEll ◽

James P. Mattheis

Keyword(s):

Chilling Injury ◽

Titratable Acidity ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Controlled Atmosphere ◽

Physiological Disorder ◽

Ethylene Concentration ◽

Bitter Pit ◽

Honeycrisp Apples ◽

Cavity Development ◽

Postharvest Management

‘Honeycrisp’ apples are susceptible to bitter pit, a physiological disorder that impacts peel and adjacent cortex tissue. ‘Honeycrisp’ is also susceptible to chilling injury (CI) that can be prevented by holding fruit at 10 to 20 °C after harvest for up to 7 days. This temperature conditioning period reduces CI risk but can enhance bitter pit development. Previous research demonstrated a controlled atmosphere (CA) established during conditioning can reduce ‘Honeycrisp’ bitter pit development without inducing other physiological disorders. The objective of this research was to evaluate the duration of CA needed to reduce bitter pit development. Experiments were conducted in 2014, 2016, and 2017 with fruit obtained from commercial orchards in Washington State and, in 2017 only, Ontario, Canada. Half the fruit were treated with 42 µmol·L−1 1-methycyclopropene (1-MCP) for 24 hours at 10 °C immediately following harvest. The untreated fruit were held at the same temperature (10 °C) in a different cold room. Following 1-MCP treatment, all fruit were conditioned at 10 °C for an additional 6 days, then fruit was cooled to 2.8 °C. During conditioning, fruit were held in air or CA (2.5 kPa O2, 0.5 kPa CO2) established 1 day after harvest, for 1 to 8 weeks, then in air. All fruit were removed from cold storage after 4 months and then held 7 days at 20 °C. Fruit from most orchards/years stored in CA developed less bitter pit compared with fruit stored continuously in air. CA during conditioning also reduced poststorage peel greasiness but CA for 2 weeks or longer enhanced cortex cavity development in some orchard lots. Treatment with 1-MCP did not reduce bitter pit but enhanced development of peel leather blotch and core browning for some orchards/years. 1-MCP–treated fruit slowed the loss of soluble solids content, titratable acidity, and reduced internal ethylene concentration. Results suggest the potential for postharvest management of bitter pit development in ‘Honeycrisp’ apples by CA established during conditioning with minimal development of other postharvest disorders.

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The Influence of Aminoethoxyvinylglycine and Ethephon on Objective and Sensory Quality of 'Delicious' Apples and Apple Juice at Harvest and after Storage

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.40.7.2102 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 40 (7) ◽

pp. 2102-2108 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

S.R. Drake ◽

T.A. Eisele ◽

M.A. Drake ◽

D.C. Elfving ◽

S.L. Drake ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Apple Juice ◽

Titratable Acidity ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Flesh Color ◽

Ethylene Concentration ◽

Long Term Storage ◽

Solids Concentration ◽

Peel Color ◽

Sensory Preference ◽

Atmosphere Storage

This study was conducted over three crop seasons using 'Delicious' (Scarletspur strain) apple trees on MM.111 rootstock. The bioregulators aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) and ethephon (ETH) were applied alone or in combinations at various time intervals before harvest. Fruit response to bioregulators was evaluated at harvest and after storage. AVG applied 4 weeks before first harvest retarded starch loss at harvest, retained greater firmness, and reduced internal ethylene concentration and watercore of fruit at harvest and after both regular and controlled atmosphere storage. AVG did not influence peel color (hue values), but the flesh color of treated apples was more green. AVG in all instances tended to reduce the sensory scores for apples and apple juice. In contrast, ETH enhanced starch hydrolysis, flesh color development (green to more yellow), and soluble solids concentration while reducing titratable acidity levels. ETH had no influence on fruit firmness at harvest, but reduced firmness levels after storage in an inverse relationship to the concentration applied. Sensory values for whole apples were not influenced by ETH treatment, but ETH improved sensory preference for apple juice, particularly at early harvest. Applying AVG before ETH enhanced soluble solids and sensory scores for both fruit and juice. Treating with AVG followed by ETH at 150 mg·L–1 permitted the maintenance of satisfactory firmness values (>53.4 N) after long-term storage along with better quality and sensory perceptions. Using specific combinations of both AVG and ETH permitted ETH-mediated improvements in objective and perceived fruit quality to be obtained without the losses in flesh firmness and storability due to uncontrolled ethylene evolution and ripening typically observed when ETH is applied alone preharvest.

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Preharvest Applications of Sprayable 1-methylcyclopropene in the Orchard for Management of Apple Harvest and Postharvest Condition

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.42.5.1192 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 42 (5) ◽

pp. 1192-1199 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Don C. Elfving ◽

Stephen R. Drake ◽

A. Nathan Reed ◽

Dwayne B. Visser

Keyword(s):

Room Temperature ◽

Titratable Acidity ◽

Apple Fruit ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Ethylene Concentration ◽

Flesh Firmness ◽

Solids Concentration ◽

Commercial Harvest ◽

Temperature Application ◽

Atmosphere Storage

A sprayable formulation of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP; AgroFresh, Spring House, PA) was applied to ‘Scarletspur Delicious’ and ‘Cameo’ apples in the orchard 1 to 3 weeks before harvest and compared in different postharvest studies with the commercial postharvest 1-MCP fruit treatment (SmartFresh; AgroFresh) and with aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG; ReTain; Valent BioSciences, Walnut Creek, CA). Treated apples were held in air storage for 50 to 60 d or in controlled-atmosphere storage for 120 to 125 or 215 to 225 d. With increased concentration, sprayable 1-MCP treatments were effective at controlling flesh firmness loss and internal ethylene concentration (IEC) up to 225 d of storage as well as during a 7-d poststorage shelf life simulation at room temperature. Application closer to harvest improved the effect of sprayable 1-MCP on control of flesh firmness loss and IEC. Concentrations of sprayable 1-MCP above 90 mg a.i./L produced similar fruit effects to 1-MCP. Treatment with 1-MCP showed little effect on soluble solids concentration (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), or skin or flesh color in ‘Delicious’ but slightly increased SSC and TA in ‘Cameo’ apples. AVG applied 4 weeks before commercial harvest controlled IEC nearly as well as either sprayable 1-MCP or 1-MCP during storage, but AVG-treated fruit allowed to ripen for 7 d at room temperature after storage lost much more flesh firmness regardless of storage regime. Sprayable 1-MCP also reduced starch hydrolysis, IEC and fruit drop at harvest. Sprayable 1-MCP may offer new opportunities for effective preharvest management of apple fruit condition, storability, and poststorage fruit quality.

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Response of Four Apple Cultivars to 1-Methylcyclopropene Treatment and Controlled Atmosphere Storage

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.40.5.1534 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 40 (5) ◽

pp. 1534-1538 ◽

Cited By ~ 63

Author(s):

Jinhe Bai ◽

Elizabeth A. Baldwin ◽

Kevin L. Goodner ◽

James P. Mattheis ◽

Jeffrey K. Brecht

Keyword(s):

Titratable Acidity ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Eating Quality ◽

Prolonged Storage ◽

Controlled Atmosphere ◽

Quality Factors ◽

Storage Atmosphere ◽

Solids Content ◽

Apple Quality ◽

Atmosphere Storage

Apples [Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill var. domestica (Borkh.) Mansf. (`Gala', `Delicious', `Granny Smith' and `Fuji')], pretreated or nontreated with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP, 0.6 to 1.0 μL·L–1 for 18 hours at 20 °C), were stored in controlled atmosphere (CA, 1 to 1.5 kPa O2; 1 to 2 kPa CO2) or in regular atmosphere (RA) for up to 8 months at 1 °C. Firmness, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids content (SSC), and volatile abundance were analyzed every month directly or after transfer to air at 20 °C for 1 week to determine effect of 1-MCP, storage atmosphere and storage time on apple quality immediately after cold storage and after simulated marketing conditions at 20 °C. The 1-MCP ± CA treatments delayed ripening and prolonged storage life as indicated by delayed loss of firmness and TA in all four cultivars during storage. The 1-MCP ± CA also slightly delayed loss of SSC for `Gala' but had no effect on SSC levels for the other cultivars. There were differences among treatments for firmness and TA content [(1-MCP + RA) > CA] for `Gala', `Delicious', and `Granny Smith' apples, but not for `Fuji'. These differences were generally exacerbated after transfer of fruit to 20 °C for 1 week. A combination of 1-MCP + CA was generally best [(1-MCP + CA) > (1-MCP + RA) or CA] for maintaining `Delicious' firmness and TA. However, the treatments that were most effective at retaining TA and firmness also retained the least volatiles. The results indicate that the efficacy of 1-MCP and CA in maintaining apple quality factors is cultivar dependent and that 1-MCP + RA may be a viable alternative to CA for optimal eating quality for some cultivars.

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Shelf-life and sensory assessments reveal the effects of storage treatments with 1-methylcyclopropene on new and established apples

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/cjps-2014-139 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 94 (8) ◽

pp. 1427-1439 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Kareen Stanich ◽

Margaret A. Cliff ◽

Cheryl R. Hampson ◽

Peter M.A. Toivonen

Keyword(s):

Shelf Life ◽

Principal Component ◽

Titratable Acidity ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Controlled Atmosphere ◽

Ethylene Concentration ◽

Industry Standards ◽

Principal Component Analyses ◽

Apple Cultivars ◽

Cultivar Responses

Stanich, K., Cliff, M. A., Hampson, C. R. and Toivonen, P. M. A. 2014. Shelf-life and sensory assessments reveal the effects of storage treatments with 1-methylcyclopropene on new and established apples. Can. J. Plant Sci. 94: 1427–1439. This research used shelf-life and sensory assessments to explore the influence of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on four apples (Aurora, Fuji, Nicola™, Salish™). Maturity (internal ethylene concentration, starch clearing index), quality (soluble solids, titratable acidity, firmness) and sensory determinations were conducted on fruit that had undergone air (AIR) or controlled atmosphere (CA) storage treatments with and without 1-MCP. Trained panelists evaluated apples, along with industry standards (Gala, McIntosh and either Fuji or Ambrosia), for eight attributes (crispness, hardness, juiciness, skin toughness, sweetness, tartness, sweet–tart balance and flavour). Data were analyzed using analysis of variance and principal component analyses (PCA) to compare the treatment and cultivar responses. Cultivars responded very differently to CA and 1-MCP. Fruit from AIR with 1-MCP were very similar to CA fruit without 1-MCP; further improvements were not observed when 1-MCP was applied to CA fruit. PCA bi-plots of the shelf-life and sensory assessments revealed that treated Salish™ fruits were more similar to one another than to cultivars from other treatments. This work successfully documented the unique changes associated with the use of 1-MCP on new and established apple cultivars. It will assist industry in applying appropriate storage practices for new and established apple cultivars.

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272 CONTROL OF BROWN ROT OF PEACHES AND APRICOTS WITH HOT WATER AND CONTROLLED-ATMOSPHERE STORAGE

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.29.5.469a ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 29 (5) ◽

pp. 469a-469

Author(s):

Salah E. Youssef ◽

Elizabeth J. Mitcham

Keyword(s):

Brown Rot ◽

Titratable Acidity ◽

Hot Water ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Monilinia Fructicola ◽

Controlled Atmosphere ◽

Controlled Atmosphere Storage ◽

Atmosphere Storage ◽

Better Than

Peaches and apricots were obtained at harvest. One-half were inoculated with the brown rot organism (Monilinia fructicola) and incubated overnight before immersion in 52C water for 2.5 and 2 minutes, respectively. Fruit were placed in storage at SC in air, 2% O2 and 15% CO2, or 17% O2 and 15% CO2 for 5 or 15 days before ripening at 20C. For peach, controlled atmosphere (CA) had no influence on decay while hot water significantly reduced decay incidence and severity. For apricot, after 15 days cold storage, both hot water and controlled atmosphere storage reduced decay incidence and severity. CA with 2% O2 and 15% CO2 controlled decay better than 17% O2 and 15% CO2. Growth and sporulation of Monilinia fructicola in air and CA was also evaluated in vitro. The combination of heat and CA controlled decay better than either treatment alone. The hot water treatment resulted in minor surface injury on peaches while apricots were not injured. Fruit were evaluated after storage for firmness, soluble solids, and titratable acidity. Accumulation of ethanol and acetaldehyde as a result of CA storage was monitored.

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Effects of Preharvest and Postharvest Applications of 1-Methylcyclopropene on Fruit Quality and Physiological Disorders of ‘Fuji’ Apples during Storage at Warm and Cold Temperatures

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci14062-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 54 (8) ◽

pp. 1375-1383 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jinwook Lee ◽

In-Kyu Kang ◽

Jacqueline F. Nock ◽

Christopher B. Watkins

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Titratable Acidity ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Ethylene Concentration ◽

Cold Temperatures ◽

Physiological Disorders ◽

Solids Concentration ◽

Flesh Browning ◽

Soluble Solids Concentration

The effects of preharvest and postharvest treatments of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) in combination or alone on fruit quality and the incidence of physiological disorders during storage of ‘Fuji’ apples [Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill var. domestica (Borkh.) Mansf.] at 20 and 0.5 °C were investigated. Preharvest 1-MCP (Harvista) treatments were applied 4 or 10 days before harvest (DBH), and then fruit were either untreated or treated with 1-MCP (SmartFresh) postharvest. Fruit were stored at 20 °C for up to 4 weeks or at 0.5 °C for up to 36 weeks. At harvest, starch pattern indices and watercore incidence and severity were lower in fruit with preharvest 1-MCP treatment applied 10 DBH than in untreated fruit and in fruit treated 4 DBH. At 20 °C, the combination of preharvest and postharvest 1-MCP treatments reduced the internal ethylene concentration (IEC) more than preharvest 1-MCP treatment alone, but not to a greater extent than postharvest 1-MCP treatment alone. Greasiness and watercore were reduced more by the combination of preharvest and postharvest 1-MCP treatments than by either treatment alone. However, preharvest and postharvest 1-MCP treatments, in combination or alone, did not consistently affect flesh firmness, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids concentration, color a* values, or incidences of flesh browning, core browning, and stem-end flesh browning. At 0.5 °C, the combination of preharvest and postharvest 1-MCP treatments inhibited IECs and maintained firmness and TA more than no treatment or preharvest 1-MCP treatment alone. However, there was a lesser extent of differences than there was with postharvest 1-MCP treatment alone. Incidences of physiological disorders were not consistently affected by the preharvest and postharvest 1-MCP treatments. Overall, the results suggested that the preharvest 1-MCP treatment positively affected fruit quality attributes compared with no treatment during shelf life and long-term cold storage, but not as effectively as a combination of preharvest and postharvest 1-MCP treatments.

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Impacts of 1-Methylcyclopropene and Controlled Atmosphere Established during Conditioning on Development of Bitter Pit in ‘Honeycrisp’ Apples

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci11368-16 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 52 (1) ◽

pp. 132-137 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

James P. Mattheis ◽

David R. Rudell ◽

Ines Hanrahan

Keyword(s):

Storage Temperature ◽

Color Change ◽

Chilling Injury ◽

Titratable Acidity ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Controlled Atmosphere ◽

Physiological Disorder ◽

Commercial Harvest ◽

Bitter Pit ◽

Honeycrisp Apples

‘Honeycrisp’ apples are susceptible to develop the physiological disorder bitter pit. This disorder typically develops during storage, but preharvest lesion can also develop. ‘Honeycrisp’ is also chilling sensitive, and fruit is typically held at 10–20 °C after harvest for up to 7 days to reduce development of chilling injury (CI) during subsequent cold storage. This temperature conditioning period followed by a lower storage temperature (2–4 °C) reduces CI risk but can exacerbate bitter pit development. Bitter pit development can be impacted in other apple cultivars by the use of controlled atmosphere (CA) storage and/or 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). Studies were conducted to evaluate efficacy of CA and/or 1-MCP to manage ‘Honeycrisp’ bitter pit development. Apples from multiple lots, obtained at commercial harvest, were held at 10 °C for 7 days and then cooled to 3 °C. Half the fruit was exposed to 42 μmol·L−1 1-MCP the day of receipt while held at 10 °C. Fruit were stored in air or CA (3 kPa O2, 0.5 kPa CO2 for 2 days, then 1.5 kPa O2, 0.5 kPa CO2) established after 1 day at 10 °C or after 7 days at 10 °C plus 2 days at 3 °C. Fruit treated with 1-MCP and/or stored in CA developed less bitter pit compared with untreated fruit stored in air, and bitter pit incidence was lowest for 1-MCP-treated fruit with CA established during conditioning. Development of diffuse flesh browning (DFB) and cavities, reported to occur during ‘Honeycrisp’ CA storage, was observed in some lots. Incidence of these disorders was not enhanced by establishing CA 2 days compared with 9 days after harvest. 1-MCP and CA slowed peel color change, loss of soluble solids content (SSC) and titratable acidity (TA), and reduced ethylene production and respiration rate. The results indicate potential for the postharvest management of bitter pit development in ‘Honeycrisp’ apple through use of 1-MCP and/or CA storage.

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Regional Variation in the Index of Absorbance Difference as an Indicator of Maturity and Predictor of Storage Disorders in Apples

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci15162-20 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 55 (9) ◽

pp. 1500-1508

Author(s):

Renae Moran ◽

Jennifer DeEll ◽

Cindy B.S. Tong

Keyword(s):

Regional Variation ◽

Positive Relationship ◽

The Other ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Fruit Peel ◽

Ethylene Concentration ◽

Solids Concentration ◽

Absorbance Difference ◽

Honeycrisp Apples ◽

Storage Disorders

We evaluated regional variation in the Delta Absorbance Meter® index of absorbance difference (IAD) as a measure of harvest maturity and for predicting the occurrence of storage disorders in ‘McIntosh’ apples [Malus ×sylvestris (L.) var. domestica (Borkh.) Mansf.] in 2016 and ‘Honeycrisp’ apples in 2016 and 2017. Apples were grown in Maine (ME), Minnesota (MN), and Ontario (ON), and they were harvested from one orchard in each region, and two to three times each year, followed by cold storage at 0.5 °C for 2 months in 2016 and 4 months in 2017. In 2016, ‘Honeycrisp’ IAD values were similar in ME and ON, but lower than in MN. In 2017, IAD was greater in ME than in the other two regions during the first harvest, and it similar to MN in the latter two harvests and lower in ON than in the other regions. In ‘Honeycrisp’ apples, IAD was more strongly related to starch pattern index (SPI), internal ethylene concentration, and fruit peel blush than to chlorophyll or soluble solids concentration. Soft scald incidence (SSI) of ‘Honeycrisp’ fruit was greater in ME than in MN and ON in both years. In ME, SSI was related to IAD at harvest in both years, but with an inverse relationship with the first harvest and a positive relationship in the second harvest. A positive relationship also occurred in ON in 2017. SSI was not related to IAD at harvest in MN in both years and ON in 2016. Regional similarities in patterns of change in ‘Honeycrisp’ fruit IAD were not consistent from year to year, and this indicates that a single IAD standard should not be used to assess fruit maturity in different regions. In ‘McIntosh’, IAD values were variable among the three regions and were not related to other maturity indicators. IAD was not useful for measuring maturity in ‘McIntosh’ apples, but it was weakly related to core browning incidence.

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Regulated Deficit Irrigation May Alter Apple Maturity, Quality, and Storage Life

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.28.2.141 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 28 (2) ◽

pp. 141-143 ◽

Cited By ~ 53

Author(s):

Robert C. Ebel ◽

Edward L. Proebsting ◽

Max E Patterson

Keyword(s):

Deficit Irrigation ◽

Starch Content ◽

Titratable Acidity ◽

Storage Life ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Starch Degradation ◽

Regulated Deficit Irrigation ◽

Ethylene Concentration ◽

Solids Concentration ◽

And Storage

`Delicious' apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) trees received regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) early in the growing season to determine if fruit quality and storage life would he altered compared to well-watered trees. Soil moisture and leaf water potential were lower in RDI trees than in those that did not receive RDI most of the season. Internal ethylene concentration increased logarithmically earlier in RDI apples. At harvest, RDI fruit were smaller and had a higher soluble solids concentration (SSC) and lower titratable acidity. Starch degradation was delayed in RDI fruit, and their color was not affected. Firmness was not affected when the effect of size on firmness was removed. The SSC of RDI apples remained higher during storage, but starch content, titratable acidity, firmness, and color were similar.

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