Postharvest performance of ‘Braeburn’ apples in relation to withholding of irrigation at different stages of the growing season

SummaryWithholding of irrigation may decrease production costs and lead to improved apple fruit quality. There is a need to understand its effect on fruit maturity and weight loss characteristics. Seven year old ‘Braeburn’ apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) trees were therefore subjected to four irrigation treatments to investigate the effects of withholding irrigation at different times of the season on maturity, ripening and weight loss characterstics of fruit. The treatments were: fully watered control (C); early withholding (EW) of irrigation from full bloom until 104 d after full bloom (DAFB); late withholding (LW) of irrigation from 104 DAFB until harvest at 194 DAFB; and nonirrigated (NI), where trees were not irrigated during the entire growing season. Withholding irrigation during the late and entire growing season resulted in more advanced fruit maturity and earlier ripening relative to C and EW as indicated by an earlier ethylene climacteric, more yellow background skin colour, and increased total soluble solids concentration. Flesh firmness was higher in NI and LW than in C and EW at harvest and during storage. Weight loss was higher in C than in EW, LW, and NI. Skin permeance to water vapour was higher in C than in EW and NI. Irrigation may therefore be withheld at certain stages in apple production with beneficial effects in terms of reduced weight loss and increased firmness in storage.