How to Identify and Prevent Soggy Apple Breakdown in Your Orchard
Soggy Apple Breakdown Explained: Why It Happens and How to Avoid It
Knowing Why Apples Get Soggy and How to Prevent It for Apple Growers
Apple brown spots can result from a variety of factors, such as bacterial or fungal growth, insect infestation, or physical harm. But if apples stored in cold storage get a distinctive brown spot under the skin that resembles a ring, soggy breakdown disorder may be to blame.
Apple Soggy Breakdown: What Is It?
Some apple varieties have an issue called “apple soggy breakdown” when they are being stored. The most frequently impacted varieties include:
- Sweetheart
- Jonathan
- Golden Delightful
- Greening in the Northwest
- Grimes Golden
Signs of a Soggy Collapse
An apple with soggy breakdown disorder will show symptoms when cut in half. The fruit’s interior will show brown, soft tissue, and the meat may be mealy or spongy. The brown region will be visible beneath the skin and surrounding the core as a ring or partially ring.
The apple’s core and skin remain intact most of the time, but occasionally you can feel when the apple has softened on the inside by giving it a squeeze. The symptoms appear when the apples are being harvested or stored. They might even show up after being stored for a few months.
Why Do Soggy Apple Breakdowns Occur?
It would be simple to assume that a bacterial or fungal disease is the cause of the brown spots on the apple because of their brown, softened appearance. On the other hand, apples ‘soggy breakdown is a physiological disorder, which means that the fruits’ exposure to certain conditions is the cause. Wet breakdown disorder is most often caused by being stored at too-cold temperatures.
The risk of this issue is also increased by postponing storage, harvesting fruit that is overripe, or experiencing cold, rainy weather during the harvest season. Apples should be picked at the proper maturity and stored right away to avoid soggy breakdown. Apples from susceptible varieties should be conditioned for one week at 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) before being placed in cold storage. They should then be stored for the remainder of the time at 37 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (3-4 degrees Celsius).
