CALCIUM HYDROXIDE SPRAYS FOR THE CONTROL OF BLACK SPOT ON APPLES - TREATMENT EFFECTS ON FRUIT QUALITY
Fruit parameters measured varied between cultivars ('Golden Delicious', 'Fuji' and Red 'Delicious') and included yield, colour, skin strength, incidence of russet, weight, shape, firmness, ethylene production, sugars, starch, water core and alcohol insoluble solids.
Calcium hydroxide alone did not affect any of the fruit quality parameters measured whilst the calcium plus copper spray increased fruit firmness and fruit alcohol insoluble solids in some trials. For 'Golden Delicious' the combined spray mixture increased the incidence of fruit russet to an unacceptable level.
The commercial significance of these findings is that apple trees treated with calcium hydroxide for the control of black spot have similar yields and fruit quality to unsprayed trees. These findings demonstrate the crop safety of this treatment for the control of black spot on apples. The addition of copper hydroxide had some positive effects on fruit quality, however, the increase of russet limits the commercial application of this treatment.
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.1998.513.4
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1998.513.4
- Commission Agroecology and Organic Farming Systems
- Division Temperate Tree Nuts
- Division Vine and Berry Fruits
- Division Ornamental Plants
- Division Vegetables, Roots and Tubers
- Division Physiology and Plant-Environment Interactions of Horticultural Crops in Field Systems
- Division Protected Cultivation and Soilless Culture
- Division Postharvest and Quality Assurance
- Division Tropical and Subtropical Fruit and Nuts
- Division Temperate Tree Fruits