Lenticel blotch pit, watercore, splitting and cracking in relation to calcium concentration in the apple fruit

Analyses of apples, of various varieties and from many sources, affected by lenticel blotch pit and/or watercore showed that calcium concentrations in the fruit were usually extremely low. The severity of lenticel blotch pit, either on the tree or during storage, increased with decreasing concentrations of calcium and/or increasing concentrations of potassium. Split and cracked apples had lower concentrations of calcium or higher concentrations of potassium than sound fruit from the same sources. The disorders usually occurred when mean concentrations of calcium in bulked random samples of fruit fell below 4 mg 100 g−1 fresh wt and lenticel spotting was noted on apples with concentrations at this level. Incidences of these disorders in the orchard therefore indicate that the fruit is likely to develop bitter pit and breakdown during storage.