MSU Fruit Team Apple Maturity Report 2005
Grand Rapids Area Report Number 1
August 31, 2005
This is the 1st report for this year. This program is made possible by the support of our sponsors which include:
Gerber Products
Project GREEEN
Michigan Apple Research Committee
Michigan Apple Shippers
Michigan State Horticulture Society
Michigan Agriculture Experiment Station
MSU Extension
Valent USA
Our thanks to these sponsors.
Apple maturity is early this year, approximately 3 to 5 days ahead of normal. Fruit size is excellent and color is excellent. Due to the hot summer this year we would predict Gala to mature before McIntosh. This year we expect maturity to be advanced in some varieties due to the very hot July weather. Some varieties are not affected by hot summer temperatures and should mature normally.
Next week red sports will be ready for long term storage on early sites. The starch is just starting to change; Size is good, firmness is excellent and ethylene is starting to increase on early sites. Gala appears to be maturing with McIntosh. Some sites are not this close to maturity.
Red strain Macs are now entering the long term storage window on early sites, light crops and young trees. Other Macs will be ready next week. Ethylene is increasing and firmness is excellent. Moderate and heavy crop trees will mature 3 to 5 days later.
Still immature, but are very close. Honeycrisp has a very wide harvest window. A few fruits on each tree are ready for harvest now. They eat well. Overall the crop will not be ready for 7 more days. Early sites can be color picked now (about 1%of fruit). Ethylene is increasing in recent samples.
Still immature. Harvest is underway for taffy market.
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Fax: 616-693-2317
Phil Schwallier, Amy Brown, Denise Ruwersma