Apple Scald Induction by Anaerobiosis

SCALD is a physiological disorder which seriously affects the appearance and utility of the apple fruit. It initially appears during, or following, cold storage as a brown discoloration of the epidermis of the green-coloured portion of the fruit. With advancement, it affects the anthocyanin-bearing epidermis, the hypodermis and the adjacent cortex. Extensive investigations over the past 60 years have provided several theories 1–7 ; but relatively little knowledge pertaining to the cause of scald. Several means of control have been devised 2,8,9 . As early as 1903 1 , it was observed that scald formation was influenced by the availability of oxygen to the fruit. Our results now provide a basis for defining the aetiology of apple scald in terms of basic cause and effect components, anaerobiosis and aerobiosis.