Storage temperature, diphenylamine, and pre-storage delay effects on soft scald, soggy breakdown and bitter pit of 'Honeycrisp' apples

'Honeycrisp' apple [(Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill. var. domestica (Borkh.) Mansf.] fruit are susceptible to the storage disorders soggy breakdown, soft scald, and bitter pit. The effects of low and high temperature storage regimes (0 or 0.5 degreesC and 2.2, 2.8 or 3 degreesC, respectively), diphenylamine (DPA) treatment, and delays at 10 or 20 degreesC before storage, were investigated. Soggy breakdown and soft scald incidence is highest at the lowest temperatures of 0 or 0.5 degreesC and reduced or eliminated by storage at the higher temperatures. DPA sometimes reduced, but did not eliminate, soft scald. Both soggy breakdown and soft scald were markedly reduced or eliminated however, by keeping fruit at 10 or 20 degreesC before storage regardless of storage temperature. Bitter pit incidence was sometimes increased by delay treatments and storage at higher temperatures. Little effect of any treatment on firmness, soluble solids content, internal ethylene concentration (IEC), background color and titratable acidity was detected. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.