Postharvest Diseases& Disorders

of Apples

Healthy apple

Postharvest Diseases

Mechanical & Field Injury

FRUIT FINISH

Postharvest Diseases

Gray Mold
Gray

mold is a common postharvest disease on apples and pears wherever these fruits are grown worldwide. This disease can cause significant losses on apples during storage. Losses as high as 20-60% due to gray mold after an extended period of storage. particularly on fruit that were not treated with fungicides prior to storage, because gray mold has the ability to spread from decayed fruit to surrounding healthy fruit through fruit-to-fruit contact during storage.

Gray Mold Causal Organism: Botrytis cinerea

Symptoms: Gray mold originates primarily from infection of wounds such as punctures and bruises that are created at harvest and during the postharvest handling process. The decayed area appears light brown to dark brown . The decayed area is spongy, and diseased tissue is not separable from the healthy tissue.

Gray Mold Symptoms:

Under high relative humidity conditions, fluffy white to gray mycelium and grayish spore masses may appear on the decayed area. The internal decayed flesh appears light brown to brown at the margin. Generally, gray mold does not have a distinct odor, but in advanced stages decayed apples may have a cedar-like smell. In advanced stages, the entire decayed fruit may appear baked and eventually may turn softer than in the early stage.

Gray Mold

Advanced stage
Infection at the stem-bowl crack Early stage fruit-to-fruit spread

Gray Mold

Control:

Orchard sanitation to remove decayed fruit and organic debris on the orchard floor helps reduce inoculum levels of B. cinerea in the orchard. Good harvest management to minimize punctures and bruises on the fruit skin helps avoid decay from wound infections. Preharvest fungicides such as thiram and ziram applied near harvest provide some control of gray mold. A postharvest drench treatment with Mertect (thiabendazole) applied prior to storage is effective to control gray mold.

Blue Mold
Blue

mold is a common postharvest disease on apples worldwide. This disease is an economic concern not only to the fresh-fruit industry but also to the fruitprocessing industry because some strains of Penicillium expansum produce the mycotoxin patulin, which can rise to unacceptable levels and thus affect the quality of apple juice.

Blue Mold Causal Organism: Penicillium expansum Symptoms: Blue mold originates primarily from infection of wounds such as punctures, bruises and limb rubs on the fruit. Blue mold can also originate from infection at the stem of fruit. The decayed area appears light tan to dark brown. The decayed tissue is soft and watery . Decayed tissue can be readily separated from the healthy tissue, leaving it like a bowl.

Blue Mold

Symptoms:
Blue

or blue-green spore masses may appear on the decayed area, starting at the infection site. Decayed fruit has an earthy, musty odor. The presence of blue-green spore masses at the decayed area and associated musty odor are the positive diagnostic indication of blue mold. Without the presence of spore masses of blue mold, blue mold can be misdiagnosed as Mucor rot, but a sweet odor is commonly associated with Mucor rot.

Blue Mold

infection of wound blue-green spore masses stem-bowl area

Decayed tissue separable from the healthy tissue, leaving it like a "bowl"

Calyx-end

Blue Mold Control:

Orchard sanitation to remove decayed fruit and

organic debris on the orchard floor . Good harvest and handling management to minimize punctures and bruises on the fruit. Thiabendazole is commonly used as either a prestorage drench treatment . Postharvest fungicides, fludioxonil , pyrimethanil. Biocontrol agent BioSave 110 (Pseudomonas syringae) applied on the packing line.

Sphaeropsis Rot

Sphaeropsis rot is a newly reported postharvest fruit rot disease of apple and pear. 24% of the apple fruit in storage bins was rotted by this disease after several months of storage. Sphaeropsis rot has been observed to occur on apple varieties including Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Fuji, and Granny Smith.

Sphaeropsis Rot Causal Organism: Sphaeropsis pyriputrescens Symptoms: The decayed tissue is firm or spongy, and the decayed areas appear brown. As the disease advances, the fungus may form pycnidia in the decayed areas. The pycnidia are black, superficial or partially embedded in the decayed tissue. The internal decayed flesh appears brown. Decay in the fruit flesh develops along the vascular tissue of the decayed fruit, originating from infection of the stem or calyx of fruit.

Sphaeropsis Rot Symptoms:

Sphaeropsis rot has a distinct bandage-like odor, particularly in the decayed flesh when the fruit is cut. This can be used as a preliminary diagnostic indication of Sphaeropsis rot. A further examination of fruiting bodies, if present, or isolation of the causal agent from decayed tissue may be necessary for confirmation of diagnosis.

Sphaeropsis Rot

Stem-end Sphaeropsis rot

Internal flesh light tan to brown

Calyx-end Sphaeropsis rot

Bull's Eye Rot

Causal Organism: Four species of Neofabraea are known to cause Bulls eye rot on apples. Symptoms: Bulls eye rot lesion is circular, flat to slightly sunken and appears light brown to dark brown with a lighter brown to tan center. Cream-colored spore masses in the aged decayed area may appear. Bulls eye rot commonly originates from infection at lenticels on the fruit skin, but stem-end Bulls eye rot is also commonly seen. Calyx-end Bulls eye rot has also been observed on Golden Delicious fruit. N. perennans causes perennial canker on apple trees.

Bull's Eye Rot

Bull's eye rot infection at the calyx end

Multiple Bull's eye rot

infection at the stem-bowl

Bull's Eye Rot Control:

In apple orchards with perennial canker, removal of branches with cankers helps reduce inoculum of Neofabraea spp. in the orchard. Ziram applied within two weeks before harvest is recommended for control of Bulls eye rot.

Mucor Rot
Causal Organism: Mucor piriformis
Mucor

rot occurs on both apples and pears. Although it can cause significant losses of fruit, Mucor rot is generally not a major problem, particularly when good harvest management and water-sanitation practices at packing are implemented.

Mucor Rot
Symptoms: Mucor rot originates primarily from infection of wounds on the skin of fruit. The decayed area appears light brown to brown with a sharp margin. The decayed tissue is very soft and juicy and can be readily separated from the healthy tissue. Gray mycelium with dark sporangia may appear on the decayed area. Mucor rot fruit has a sweet odor. Without the signs of the pathogen present on decayed fruit, Mucor rot can be mistaken as blue mold, particularly in the early stage of symptom

Mucor Rot
Gray mycelium with dark sporangia Decayed tissue very soft

Mucor Rot

Control:

Orchard sanitation to remove fallen fruit on the orchard floor helps reduce inoculum levels in the soil. Good harvest management is important for control of Mucor rot. Field bins should be positioned on the orchard floor to minimize contamination of the undersides of bins by infested soil or organic debris. Fruit that fall to the ground during harvest can be contaminated by infested soil and should not be put back in fruit bins.

Diseases: Symptom Comparison Table

Symptoms Blue Mold Gray Mold Sphaeropsis Rot Mucor Rot Soft, watery; lesion with a sharp margin; decayed tissue Texture completely separable from the healthy tissue, leaving it like a bowl

Spongy or firm; decayed tissue not separable Firm from the healthy tissue

Very soft; juicy

Decay Color

Light tan to dark Light brown to brown dark brown

Brown to dark brown, Light advanced brown to decay area may brown turn black

Symptoms

Blue Mold

Gray Mold Fluffy white to gray mycelia; sporulation under high humidity; gray to brown spore masses; black sclerotia may form

Sphaeropsis Rot White mycelia under high humidity; advanced stage: pycnidia may form on decayed fruit

Mucor Rot

White mycelia and blue or blue-green Signs of spore masses; Pathogen sporulation often starts at the infection sites (wounds)

Gray mycelium with dark sporangia

Internal Brown Color

Light brown to brown

Brown; decay advances along Light brown the vascular to brown tissue; decay turning it brown Strong distinct bandagelike Sweet odor

Odor

Earthy, musty

Generally not detectable

 Bitter Pit (BP) is a disorder that begins in the orchard

and is related to low calcium. Affected cells gradually die, but fruit may show no sign externally at harvest. Early external symptoms begin as slightly water-soaked spots or patches, later developing into darker, sunken spots as the tissue below dies and begins to desiccate. Below the skin, the affected flesh is brown and corky, which distinguishes BP from other disorders. This disorder is easily confused with stink bug damage or lenticel blotch pit. The symptoms are usually on the lower half of the fruit, unlike stink bug damage. However, in severe cases, the spotting may extend to the upper half as well.

 Superficial scald is a very common postharvest disorder. The appearance and severity depends on the susceptibility of the variety with Granny Smith and Red Delicious being

among the worst affected. The skin of the affected fruit turns brown in patches, especially on the shaded side, and may become rough. Only the surface of the fruit is affected, with the flesh remaining firm and of eating quality. The margins between normal and affected skin are diffuse. Browning develops rapidly once the fruit is moved from cold storage to room temperature.

Figure 1: Superficial scald appears as brown rough patches on this Granny Smith apple.

 Senescent scald appears as brown patches on the

skin that may become sunken and rough with distinct margins, often ribbonlike. Unlike superficial scald, senescent scald usually appears on the sun-exposed side of the fruit and on late harvested fruit. Golden Delicious and late-harvested or overstored fruit may be susceptible to senescent scald. Unlike superficial scald, the interior of the fruit may have brown flesh and have internal breakdown.

Figure 1: Golden Delicious fruit showing senescent scald after cold storage.

 Core flush, a form of senescent breakdown is common in Granny Smith, Braeburn, and other apple varieties. The core area turns pink, then brown. The discoloration starts near the core and extends with wedges of brownish tissue outward.

The discoloration may circle the core partially or completely.

The affected tissue is moist and softer than unaffected

tissue. In severe cases, it may extend just below the skin. There is no exterior symptom.

Figure 2: The pink gradually turns brown

Figure 1: Core flesh starts to turn pink.

 Over mature and large fruit are highly susceptible to internal breakdown. Internal breakdown is characterized by flesh browning and breakdown. Internal symptoms may be restricted to one side of the fruit, or involve the entire fruit. Often there is a 1/4th inch ring of healthy flesh surrounding the affected tissue. The sun-exposed side or the calyx end is more often affected, with the rest of the fruit normal. The skin of affected fruits may be normal, or dull

and dark, and in later stages of the disorder, it sometimes becomes cracked.

Figure 1: Overmature Granny Smith apple with extensive internal breakdown with only slight bruiselike discoloration on one side of the outer skin (right side).

 The apple variety Braeburn is susceptible to an internal disorder called Braeburn browning disorder (BBD).
At harvest, this disorder has the appearance of light to dark brown areas similar in nature to watercore, but occurring without pattern anywhere in the flesh. Symptoms of BBD developing in storage include tissue browning resembling the internal cavities caused by CO2 injury.

However, BBD is thought to be related to late harvest.

Figure 1: Sliced Braeburn apples show the progression of severity of BBD.

Watercore appears as water-soaked areas of the flesh first associated with vascular bundles.
In severe cases, the affected tissue may spread,

covering large areas of the flesh. In these instances, watercore is externally visible by the appearance of translucent skin blotches on lighter pigmented apples, or as very dark patches on darker fruit. In mild cases, watercore will disappear (sugar reabsorbed) early on during cold storage. However, if severe enough, watercore may develop into internal breakdown (watercore breakdown).

Figure 1: A Granny Smith apple showing the clear skin blotches on the slice, exposing the water-soaked flesh beneath. Figure 2: When the fruit is cut crosswise, a pinwheel pattern of water-soaked flesh is exposed. In severe cases, the tissue will turn brown as it breaks down and decays.

Lenticel breakdown is a physiological

disorder affecting the surface of apples. Before the packing, there is little evidence of a problem; however, within a few days of packing, symptoms appear as dark brown pits in the fruit skin around the lenticels, reducing marketable yield. It usually occurs on the less sun-exposed side and along color margins

Early symptoms appear as small dimples. As firmness decreases, pits grow in size and

depth. The flesh is not deeply affected except for a possible cavity directly under the pits. Lenticel breakdown is easily confused with lenticel blotch pit. A dye test has been developed to help determine fruit susceptibility to this disorder at harvest.

Figure 1: Gala apple showing moderate lenticel breakdown symptoms.

Lenticel blotch pit is similar in appearance to both lenticel breakdown and bitter pit. Lenticel blotch pit has irregular patches around the lenticels, unlike the more defined circles found in lenticel breakdown; and are usually near the calyx

end as in bitter pit, or on the more sun-exposed side of the fruit. Unlike lenticel breakdown, the flesh browning may extend deeper, as with bitter pit, and will likely increase and deepen after harvest. Hastening ripening will increase symptoms.

Figure 1: Fuji apple showing lenticel blotch pit on the lower half of the fruit.

Figure 2: Cutting through a blotch exposes corky tissue browning similar to bitter pit.

Bitter Pit

lenticel blotch pit

lenticel breakdown

If the carbon dioxide (CO2) level is too high during controlled atmosphere (CA) storage, both external and internal injury symptoms may occur.
External injury resembles snowflakelike patches which may join to form one very large patch. Internal symptoms appear as discolored areas within the vascular bundles. The tissue may be brown and develop pockets. A noticeable aroma of fermentation may be present when CA storage is opened, or the fruit is cut.

Figure 2: Internal CO2 damage with brown flesh and pockets.

Figure 1: A Golden Delicious apple with external CO2 injury showing irregular (snowflakelike) margins.

Sodium hypochlorite (chlorine bleach)

is commonly used in dump tanks as a disinfectant. It is important that the chlorine concentration be monitored. If the concentration is too low, the tank water no longer works to disinfect. However, if the concentration is too high, the fruit can be burned.

Figure 1: The stem bowl and calyx are susceptible to burning because they fill with water, increasing the exposure time to the chlorine.

Figure 2: In cases of elevated chlorine concentration in the tank water, the entire fruit surface is vulnerable to chemical burning

Fruit stored below their tolerance point may

show a variety of symptoms depending on the cultivar, temperature, and duration of storage at the adverse temperature. Symptoms may vary from browning of the skin to deep flesh browning and translucency. Dry internal cavities and flesh browning may also develop. Fruit also may have a bitter taste and smell of fermentation upon cutting.

Figure 1: A Red Delicious apple showing external browning and skin translucency

Excess or too low humidity can have a

detrimental effect on fruit during storage. If the humidity is too high, the cells swell and expand to the point where the tissue cracks. Too low humidity causes dehydration of the tissues leading to shriveling.

Figure 1: A Golden Delicious apple showing cracking at the lenticels. If conditions are severe enough, the cracks will expand, resulting in large, deep, branching cracks extending across the fruit. Often the cracks will become infected, and the fruit will decay

Figure 2: The Gala shown here was stored at too low relative humidity and became shriveled.

Mechanical & Field Injury

Frost Hail
Chemical Burn

Frost
Frost is a serious problem both early in the season and late season. Frost occurring around blossom or fruit set can cause complete fruit loss. Lat-season frost affects mostly late season varieties, leaving the affected fruit with a characteristic ring russet scar from where the frost settled on the fruit.

Frost
It can be confused with the

russetting caused by powdery mildew. However, mildew russet is more netlike across the fruit.

Frost
Figure 1: Lateseason frost damage appearing as a pale red russet band around the lower half of Red Delicious fruit.

Frost
Figure 2: Golden Delicious with late-season frost damage visible as a brown russet band around the center of the fruit.

powdery mildew.

Frost damage

mildew russet is

more netlike across the fruit.

appearing as a pale red russet band around the lower half

Hail
Hail damage can occur any time during the

growing season. What the damage looks like at harvest will depend on how mature the fruit was and how large and hard the hail was it struck. A hard impact early in the season could cause a very deep depression and deformation of the fruit. Later-season damage could appear more bruiselike.

Figure 1: Damage to this Red Delicious probably occurred midsummer, leaving a noticeable depression. Cracking is not uncommon. A mark like this can be confused with insect damage. Notice that this fruit also has a large bin bruise unrelated to the hail mark.

Hail

Chemical Burn
Chemical burns originating in the

orchard may appear differently depending on the variety's susceptibility to the chemical and which chemical is responsible. Any chemical applied in or around an orchard can cause fruit burns.

Chemical Burn
This includes oils, pesticides,

herbicides, fertilizers and growth regulators depending on how the chemical was applied. Unfortunately, the resulting burns may be hard to identify because the damage may take time to develop and may look like insect or other types of damage.

Chemical Burn

Figure 1: The burns shown here were caused by a nutrient spray that left large droplets on the fruit surface.

 Sunburn browning

is the most common form of sunburn. The symptoms appear as a yellow, brown or dark tan spot on the sun-exposed side of the apple.

This disorder is induced by ultraviolet-B radiation from sunlight along with high fruit surface temperature. The sunburned area may contain desiccated lenticels depending on severity.

Figure 2: Sunburn browning on Fuji

Figure 1: Sunburn browning on Golden Delicious

 Sunburn necrosis is heat-induced while the fruit is on the tree. Like Sunburn browning, it occurs on the sun-exposed part of the fruit, but UV-B is not a major factor.

 When the fruit surface temperature exceeds 126 degrees F for as little as 10 minutes, skin cell

death occurs, resulting in a dark brown or black (necrotic) spot that appears later. Cracking of the affected area is common.

Red Delicious.

Granny Smith.

Gala.

 Apples that are suddenly exposed to sunlight after

growing in shade, as would occur with hand thinning or late-season pruning, may develop photo-oxidative sunburn. Unlike the previously mentioned sunburn forms, this is neither surface temperature, nor UV-B dependent. In addition to happening on the tree, it can also occur after harvest if apple bins are left sitting out in the sun in the field, on a truck, or at the loading dock.

Figure 1: Photo-oxidative sunburn on Granny Smith with slight browning.

Figure 2: Photo-oxidative sunburn on Red Delicious with darker browning.