KENTVILLE, NS - A research initiative involving a scientist working in Kentville could help improve storage techniques, reduce losses and expand market potential for two popular apple varieties.
Honeycrisp and Ambrosia varieties are known for having a sensitivity to soft scald disorder and scientists are working toward identifying the biological triggers that cause this.
Storing apples such as these at a low temperature too early after harvest can cause soft scald – a physiological disorder. The apples can develop brown or black lesions, rendering them unmarketable.
A study delving into the post-harvest storage of Ambrosia apples at three commercial orchards in British Columbia led to researchers at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Dalhousie University discovering a group of proteins that could be integral to maintaining the quality of these apples in storage.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientist Dr. Jun Song, who works at the Kentville Research and Development Centre, is among those involved in the project. He said that using a quantitative proteomic analysis, a close relationship between a group of proteins and soft scald development in Ambrosia apples was found.
Song said they know there is a relationship between this particular group of proteins and the development of soft scald disorder under cold stress in storage. The scientists are now validating their findings in an attempt to determine if these proteins can be used as biological markers for the detection, prevention and monitoring of soft scald development.
“If we can find the useful markers, we can monitor or predict the scald development before the symptom appears and help optimize the storage and market strategies to minimize the potential loss,” Song said.
He said the proteins are either the cause or just a consequence of the disorder. Research has been conducted to find optimal pre-harvest and post-harvest conditions for preventing scald development and the factors that affect the development of the disorder seem to be very complex.
When asked if there has been anything that has surprised him or that he didn’t anticipate when it comes to his research and findings to date, Song said they found one protein which was negatively correlated to scald development and positively to the treatment that can reduce scald.
He said that while the scientists have a lot of work left ahead of them, they hope they’re on the right track. He doesn’t yet know at what point the research will come to fruition in terms of being implemented in the apple industry.
Kirk.starratt@kingscountynews.ca
RELATED:
