Internal Ethylene Concentration of ‘McIntosh’, ‘Northern Spy’, ‘Empire’, ‘Mutsu’, and ‘Idared’ Apples During the Harvest Season

Five cultivars of apples ( Malus domesticus Borkh.) were sampled weekly during the harvest season for 3 consecutive years. The ethylene concentrations in the atmosphere from the apple core cavities were measured using a gas chromatograph. Each cultivar exhibited an individual range of internal ethylene concentration over the harvest season. Depending on the cultivar, the rate of increase in internal ethylene concentration varied from year to year. A single ethylene concentration cannot be used to estimate harvest maturity. Cultivar characteristics of internal ethylene concentrations and their yearly variation are two significant factors in interpreting ethylene measurements used for maturity estimations.