Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
out of concern for the environment, especially in regard to
greenhouse gas emissions (such as carbon dioxide) and
the global warming arising from this. It is argued that the
longer the transport distance, the more energy is con-
sumed, the more fossil fuels are burned and consequently
the more greenhouse gases are released into the air, and
these gases are contributing to global warming. The same
too can be argued for storage costs (refrigeration, CA),
and this concept is receiving more attention. However,
others argue that it is not the distance that should be
assessed but the total energy used, from production to
plate, including transport (Saunders
et al
. 2006). Apple
storage in the future will be based on a diversity of tech-
nologies, and this will increase the options for apple mar-
keting. In the future a relatively small number of apple
varieties will continue to be stored, transported and mar-
keted around the world. However, there will be a growing
niche of apple producers that are successful in selling
locally produced, low-input production apples to local
consumers. In all cases, apples will have to satisfy the con-
sumer and so sensory research is essential to understand
the consumers' needs. Current sensory research is focus-
ing on developing preference maps and other multivariate
techniques to gain a better understanding of how market
segments have differing responses (Harker
et al
. 2006;
Peneau
et al
. 2006).
New apple varieties such as such as 'Jazz™' (a 'Gala' ×
'Braeburn' cross from New Zealand) and 'HoneyCrisp'
(released by the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment
Station in 1991), offer promise of better consumer eating
experiences. However, with new varieties come different
post-harvest challenges. For example, 'Honeycrisp' is
susceptible to the storage disorders soggy breakdown, soft
scald, and bitter pit (Watkins
et al
. 2005). It is the challenge
for the post-harvest researcher and apple manager to
overcome these difficulties to produce high-quality fruit
for the consumer.
Another problem for the apple industry is variability in
eating quality among individual fruit in each consignment.
Quality assurance systems based on visual quality are
widely used but internal quality attributes (such as
mealiness) present some limitations. Commercial nonde-
structive internal quality assessments are being developed
and applied, but it is up to the packing house manager to
ensure that excessive fruit softening and mealiness
development does not occur during storage. This practical
fruit management is built on a solid knowledge and
application of fruit physiology and storage behaviour.
Apple fruit generally have a long storage life that is
often terminated by low-temperature disorders and
post-harvest disease. While some pre- and post-harvest
measures can be managed to delay or reduce these storage
disorders, transferring traits for tolerance or resistance by
conventional breeding is slow but selection could be
speeded up if molecular markers for long storage life can
be identified. This also raises the issue of genetically
modified food (GM food). A recent study carried out in
New Zealand asked consumers about their responses to
genetically modified apples. The results showed that there
are two groups of consumers in relation to GM apples. One
group did not accept the technology and another group
accepted the technology as long as there were tangible
benefits such as improved quality or health benefits (Kaye-
Blake
et al
. 2005). Studies such as this will become
important in the future for highlighting the concerns of
consumers if genetic modification is used as a tool to
transfer traits into new varieties of apple.
The post-harvest application of 1-MCP gas, particularly
in combination with CA storage, has been shown to
commercially maintain fruit quality and control scald
during storage. There are many factors that will determine
the long-term utilisation of 1-MCP into the apple supply
chain. These include its cost and benefit for growers and
consumers, the correct application rate of 1-MCP for
maximum benefit and the marketing of treated apples in
relation to the perception of quality by the consumer. Time
will tell how well 1-MCP will be adapted into apple storage
and marketing supply chains. The preharvest 1-MCP
treatment is currently being trialled and may yet be another
tool to manage fruit production and quality.
The apple industry should be able to look forward to
more rapid advances in variety improvement leading to the
production of fruit with more consistent flavour and
improved cool storage life as the promise of genomics,
proteomics and metabolomics is realised. Active apple
breeding programs around the world are selecting apples
with improved agronomic features, but these programs
must be consumer focussed in developing apples that
provide benefits to consumers.
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