Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 5.1
Main Apple Producing Countries (2005, in tonnes).
Apple
production
Apple
production
Country
Country
1
China
20 406 500
11
Chile
1 350 000
2
United States
4 474 640
12
Argentina
1 262 440
3
Turkey
2 550 000
13
Japan
870 000
4
Iran
2 400 000
14
Brazil
843 919
5
France
2 246 351
15
Ukraine
804 000
6
Italy
2 192 000
16
Spain
797 700
7
Poland
2 050 000
17
South Africa
778 630
8
Russian Federation
2 050 000
18
North Korea
669 000
9
Germany
1 600 000
19
Mexico
580 000
10
India
1 470 000
20
Egypt
550 000
Other countries - total
9 646 796
Total world production 59 591 967
Source: Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (November 2006), http://www.fao.org.
Epidermis
Hypodermis
50µ
Cuticle
Epidermis
Parenchyma
Pericarp
Hypodermis
Cortex
1cm
Figure 5.1
Transverse section through mature 'Granny Smith' apple fruit. The insert is a peel section showing
cuticle, epidermis, hypodermis and fleshy parenchyma.
an estimated 45% of the total Chinese production
(O'Rourke
et al
. 2003). Most of the apples produced
in China are consumed domestically or exported to
neighbouring countries. However, as supply chains and
fruit quality improves this situation is likely to change.
the receptacle becomes the fruit (Esau 1977). Figure 5.1
outlines the basic anatomy of an apple fruit and the peel.
Core
The core and pericarp of the apple are derived from two
kinds of tissue; the parenchyma tissue and the cartilagi-
nous tissue made of sclereids lining the locules (Esau
1977). Each ovule generally contains at least one seed.
Interestingly, there is a strong relationship between the
number of seeds and the long-term storability of some
apple varieties such as 'Jonathan', where preharvest factors
such as pollination which increase the number and viabil-
ity of seeds, improves storability in these apple varieties
(Little & Holmes 2000).
APPLE FRUIT ANATOMY
It is now widely agreed that the anatomical origin of the
apple fruit is best explained by the outer fruit tissue being
derived from fused floral parts. The fruit is appendicular in
origin (MacDaniels 1940; Esau 1977). This is a mature,
ripened inferior ovary in which the pericarp plus the
receptacle tissue becomes fleshy (Roth 1977). Five ovaries
of the apple flower are fused at the base, which along with
