Fruit maturity, carbohydrate and mineral content relationships with watercore in ‘Fuji’ apples

Relationships of watercore severity with physiological and biochemical factors in ‘Fuji’ apples were examined in fruit harvested weekly on nine occasions during maturation and ripening. Statistical analysis was done using harvest date as a covariate to remove the effect of maturity. Higher watercore severities were associated with higher internal ethylene concentrations, soluble solids and dry matter, increased sorbitol and sucrose concentrations and decreased glucose and fructose concentrations. Flesh firmness, starch and calcium concentration decreased with slight watercore incidence but increased with moderate to severe watercore.