Phosphorus can help reduce internal breakdown occurrence. By ensuring supplies to apples are not limiting, internal cell wall collapse is avoided and low temperature breakdown and internal browning minimised.
Minimising pome fruit internal breakdown
Internal breakdown in pome fruit is the breakdown of internal tissues resulting from fluid oxidation. In severe cases, tissues become spongy. It can be associated with intense water core disorder, cold storage, and boron and phosphorus deficiencies. A good crop nutrition can help to minimise internal breakdown incidence in pome fruit.
Crop Nutrition and Internal Breakdown
Phosphorus
Trials show that phosphate improves long-term storage characteristics in apples and reduces storage disorders incidence such as internal browning and core flush.
Calcium
Low calcium nutrition increases the incidence of internal breakdown. Soil supply is important, but it should be backed by fruit applied sprays. The greater the number of sprays the better, it gets more calcium into the fruit, improving its health and quality.
Boron
Excessive boron increases the incidence of apple internal breakdown.
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