Quality and aroma of 'golden delicious' apples at harvest and after CA storage as influenced by pruning techniques

Apple fruit quality depends on a number of factors including the type of breeding and consequently the pruning techniques adopted and storage conditions. Two types of breeding were taken into account concerning 'Golden Delicious' apples from Aosta Valley orchards: Fuseau Fougeres (FF) and Solaxe with extinction (spur thinning) according to Lauri and Lespinasse (1998) (SE). Fresh and dry weights, soluble solid content, titratable acidity, firmness and volatile compound emission were analysed at harvest and during controlled atmosphere (CA) storage. Volatiles extracted in methylene chloride were separated and identified with a GC/MS. Dry weight and soluble solid content (degrees Brix) were significantly higher for apples picked from SE trained trees, both at harvest (PRO) and throughout CA storage (PRO-PR4), and for both years taken into account. Aromatic compounds detected were classified as aldehydes, aliphatic acids and alcohols, benzene derivatives, ketones, ethers, esters, lactones, norisoprenoids and terpenes. The volatile compounds 1-butanol, hexanol, 2-hexenal, acetic and hexanoic acids, eugenol and 1-butanol-2-methylacetate were largely represented both at harvest and after storage.