SummaryRelationships between the occurrence of russeting (cuticle cracking) and fruit diameter, relative growth rate (RGR) and the period from fruit set to harvest were investigated in a glasshouse experiment. Fruits were visually and microscopically examined for the presence of cracks and graded from 0 (no symptoms) to 4 (severe symptoms). Cracks occurred on fruits six to seven weeks after fruit set in the last phase of fruit growth. The extent of russeting increased with increase in the period from occurrence to harvest. Russeting was most marked at higher RGR and long periods from fruit set to harvest. The percentage of russeted fruits varied from 10 to 80% over the total production period. More russeting was apparent in plants carrying a low fruit load. It is suggested that this variation is the result of a complex of factors related both to fruit growth and fruit load and to the tensile strength and extensibility of the epidermis.
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J. Barker (1988) studied this question.