The study was conducted at the Horticulture Department, Faculty of
Agriculture, University of Damascus, during the season of 2002 and 2003, in
order to study the effect of dipping apple fruits for the tow apple sorts for 5
minutes with some chemic
al substances, α-Tocopherol (0.25%) and
Prohexadion-Calcium (1%).
The fruits were stored at AlMaze cold storage unit under the normal
storage condition (0-1ºC, 93% R.H.), to find out some effects of these
treatments on some physical, chemical, and physiological changes of treated
and untreated apple fruits, especially: fruit weight, firmness, starch, and
soluble solids content.
Analysis of variance indicated a significant difference in storage ability of
both fruit apple samples in case of dipped fruits in Procalcium solution 1%
compared with control fruits. The tocopherol treated fruits were sometimes
significant.
The results showed a reduction in fruit weight in case of treated sample
during cold storage time. Fruit firmness was significantly better in both
treatments of procalcium 1% and tocopherol 0.25%compared with control,
and reducing physiological disorders during cold storage period.
In this research, we have studied the effects of some summer pruning at the
mid June and Juli, in addition to the common periodical winter pruning during
February.
Both studies were done to evaluate calcium concentration of fruits, quality
and yi
eld the apearance of physiological disorders during the storage and
fruits. Experiments were conducted on 8 year apple trees of Starking Delicious
and Golden Delicious, which are sensiitve to laek of calcium and as a result
caused bitter-pit as an important physiological disorder on apple fruits.
Summer pruning of apple trees at mid june increases their content of
calcium and their colors, also decreases physiological disorder, weight loss
during storage, without affecting the annual yield of trees.
Accorrding to the attained results, we recommend the farmers of apple trees
to follow summer pruning, because of its benefits on improving the condition of
trees and achieving the balance between vegetative and generative growth, and
reduced the alternate Summer pruning. Also improve the quality of fruits, their
storability and their resistance for some physiological disorders during storage.
