Ea. Curry, PREHARVEST APPLICATIONS OF ETHEPHON REDUCE SUPERFICIAL SCALD OF FUJI AND GRANNY-SMITH APPLES IN STORAGE, Journal of Horticultural Science, 69(6), 1994, pp. 1111-1116
In 1989 and 1990, preharvest applications of 2-chloroethyl phosphonic
acid (ethephon) at dosages from 50-400; mg l(-1) were applied to 'Fuji
' and 'Granny Smith' apples. In 1989, the greatest reduction in scald
after storage on both 'Fuji' and 'Granny Smith', relative to the untre
ated control resulted from applying 400 mg l(-1) ethephon five weeks b
efore harvest and was 45% and 55% of controls, respectively. On 'Grann
y Smith' 400 mg l(-1) was also effective when applied three weeks befo
re harvest. In 1990, preharvest applications of ethephon at either 200
or 400 mg l(-1) reduced scald in both cultivars relative to the contr
ols. Ethephon applied six weeks before harvest had no dosage effect on
scald reduction after storage. There was no consistent effect on frui
t maturity at harvest from any treatment in either year, and no effect
on quality of fruit out of storage.