Surface Pitting—a Storage Disorder of Sweet Cherries

A storage disorder of sweet cherries referred to as surface pitting is described and illustrated. Different handling, packaging and storage treatments influenced the amount of the disorder, but did not prevent it. Storage at 0 C or lower resulted in a higher incidence of the disorder than storage at a temperature several degrees higher. Neither mineral foliar sprays nor controlled atmosphere storage were effective in preventing surface pitting, and hydrocooling increased it.