The 2009 ASHS Annual Conference

�Honeycrisp' apple [Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill. var. domestica (Borkh.) Mansf.] fruit is susceptible to the storage disorders soggy breakdown, soft scald, bitter pit, lenticel breakdown and internal browning. The effect of atmosphere (in percent, O2/CO2 combinations of 1/0; 3/0; 1/3; 3/3; 20.5/0.5; and 20.5/3), 1-MCP application (1 ppm in air storage only), and preconditioning (3 and 5 days at 20�C before storage in air) were studied.� Apples from four different orchards were evaluated after 1, 3, and 6 months storage at 3�C.� The treatments 1/3 and 3/3 yielded the highest incidence of internal browning. Also, the treatment 1/0 caused internal browning incidence in all orchards, although at a low rate. Regular atmosphere (20.5/0.5) treatments reduced or eliminated disorder incidence. 1-MCP and preconditioning did not enhance disorder development in air storage fruit.� No treatment effect was detected for soft scald, bitter pit and lenticel breakdown incidence.� Firmness, soluble solids content, and red coloration of skin were not affected by treatments.� Background color was affected by controlled atmosphere leading to greener apples. 1-MCP reduced internal ethylene concentration (IEC), but had little effect on firmness. Preconditioning did not reduce firmness retention as has been previously reported.