BITTER PIT CONTROL BY SPRAYS AND VACUUM INFILTRATION OF CALCIUM IN COXS ORANGE PIPPIN APPLES

The incidence of external and internal bitter pit in 'Cox's Orange Pippin' apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) fruit sprayed with normal therapeutic sprays either with or without Ca salts at 2-week intervals during the growing season was determined after 6 weeks of storage over 7 consecutive years. Following harvest, fruit was either vacuum-infiltrated with CaCl2 or received no further treatment. Although there was a tendency for fruit that had been sprayed and vacuum-infiltrated with Ca to exhibit the greatest degree of bitter pit control, this treatment was not significantly superior to Ca sprays alone. Vacuum infiltration alone reduced the disorder to a lesser extent than Ca sprays and was more effective in reducing external than internal bitter bit. The results suggest that Ca applications over the growing season are superior to post-harvest vacuum-infiltration with Ca in the prevention of bitter pit.