Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

1. New member from Georgia has completed Appendix E.
2. There were thirteen written reports in total. Eight of them were presented during the meeting, and four nonattending members submitted reports electronically.
3. Collaborative research was planned and discussed.
4. Next meeting to be held in conjunction with ASHS in Denver, CO, 2021

Accomplishments (reported under both objectives)

Objective 1:  Adapt or develop harvest, handling and storage technologies to improve fruit quality, increase consumption and reduce food waste.

Objective 2: Improve our understanding of the biology of fruit quality to further our development of harvest and storage technology and development of new plant materials. 

Reports given during meeting:

Florida State Univ. J. Brecht and S. Sargent collaborating with USDA/ARS-FL and ARS-WV. 

Cornell Univ., Chris Watkins, Yosef Al Shoffe, Yiyi Zhang, Jackie Nock, Shih Ding Tsai, Robin Dando, Susan Brown, Kevin Maloney. 

Ontario, OMAFRA, Jennifer DeEll. 

Univ. of Maine, Renae Moran

Reports given during meeting and submitted as documents afterward:

Virginia State Univ., Toktam Taghavi

1.1. Develop eco-friendly postharvest practices to extend the shelf life of strawberries. Five plant volatiles (thymol, cinommon, eugenol, clove bud oil, and nonenal). Fungal diseases were not affected by essential oil treatment but by cultivars and their environments. Cultivar Albion and Jewel had the highest fungal contamination and Sweet Charlie and Allstar the lowest.

2.1. Hyperspectral signal analysis of strawberries inoculated with botrytis. A preliminary experiment was performed by inoculating strawberries with botrytis compared to control (non-inoculated) and picturing the strawberries with hyperspectral camera. These methods were able to distinguish healthy and affected areas on strawberries.

 Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa, Robert E. Paull, Nancy J. Chen, Jensen Uyeda, Andrea Kawabata.

1.1 Dragon Fruit.  Postharvest product quality at the retail levels show two major areas in need of improvement: mechanical injury (abrasion and impact) and dehydration.

1.2 Pineapple acidity from the digital acidity meter is affected by variety and mineral composition particularly potassium. The meter with calibration is definitely suitable for field use.

1.3 Translucency in pineapple fruit is associated with lower night temperatures, is affected by calcium application and high photosynthetic capacity.

2.1 Seventy-eight cultivated and 11 wild pineapple accessions we resequenced to investigate its domestication history.

2.2 Papaya. We are still analyzing fruit ripening transcriptome data with the ne chromosome-based annotation. Evaluation of our two ripening runs is showing very different cell wall metabolism than that reported for other fruit, such as tomato.

 Univ. of Maryland, Macarena Farcuh and Christopher Walsh.

1. The past four years’ research suggests that Honeycrisp apples grown and harvested in hot weather may benefit more from holding at non-chilling temperatures than from pre-conditioning. They do not appear to require the ethylene treatment that occurs during pre-conditioning.
2. Apple Fruit Maturity Indices for Honeycrisp, Gala, GoldRush, Granny Smith and Cripps Pink. Correlation coefficients between ground color (DA value) and starch ranged from 0.04 and 0.87 in seven apple cultivars during maturation.

 Michigan State Univ., Randy Beaudry

1.1 Impact of SO2 on Blueberry Maggot Survival and Quality of Blueberry

1.2 Using the Labpod to Determine the Lower Oxygen Limit of Apple

1.3 Use of Amaranth as a Means of Assessing Performance of Storages

2.1 Regulation of Branched-Chain Ester Content in Apple Fruit. Five alleles of citramalate synthase (MdCMS_1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) were found among 25 apple varieties evaluated.

2.2 Evidence for Splicing Variants in the Synthesis of Banana Aromas. Splice variants of genes at the two rate-controlling steps in the synthesis of leucine were found..

 Kansas State Univ., Eleni D. Pliakoni

1.1 Development of a passive modified atmosphere packaging for maintaining the quality of pink tomatoes stored at optimum and above-optimum temperatures

1.2 Effect of high tunnel production systems on the preharvest losses and harvest quality of ‘BHN 589’ and ‘Cherokee Purple’ tomatoes.  High tunnel covering treatments alter yield, photosynthesis, and microclimate of tomato.

1.3. Investigate the effect of different rootstocks on lycopene concentration and fruit quality traits using a tomato variety known to have high levels of lycopene grown in high tunnels

2.1 Quality of day-neutral strawberries grown in a high tunnel system. Investigate the impact of the different mulches on plant temperature and fruit quality at harvest and during storage

 Univ. of Minnesota, Cindy Tong.

1.1 The objective of this work was to determine to what extent the Felix F-750 handheld spectrophotometer could be used to detect differences among different peel areas at harvest. No discernable differences were detected in F750 spectra of unaffected and soft scald affected areas due to high variation in spectra among fruit areas. Measuring light reflectance, and not transmittance, may be more appropriate for the objective of this work.

 Kentville Research and Development Centre, Nova Scotia, Jun Song

1. Pazazz apples showed less than 10% scald in control, but more than 50% disorder in delayed cooling treatment.

2.1. GWAS on quality traits of apple in apple biodiversity collection at KRDC Polyphenols can vary in concentration by up to two orders of magnitude across cultivars, and that this dramatic variation was often predictable using genetic.

2.2. ACO1, ACS1 and PG1 were significantly inhibited by 1-MCP. 1-MCP treatment had no effect on NAC18. Gene expression of NAC 18 was not ethylene dependent in postharvest period after fruit detached from the trees.

2.3. “Omics” approaches to reduce physiological disorders. A late embryogenesis abundant protein changes in association with soft scald development.

2.4: Collaboration with Dr. Jennifer DeEll, OMAFRA. A group of proteins were identified and decreased in response to Harvista and SmartFresh.

 North Carolina State Univ. Penelope Perkins-Veazie, Marlee Trandel

1. Pumpkins grown suffer from premature stem loss. Application of copper sulfate a week prior to harvest and a spray of 10% bleach immediately after harvest are thought to help prevent stem loss and help delay fruit decay. Stem release may result from a combination of weight loss, moisture loss, and abscission at point of attachment.
2. Grafted watermelon can be firmer than non grafted fruit, and fruit with hollow heart often are less firm than those without hollow heart. Little difference in alcohol insoluble residues (AIR), monosaccharides, neutral sugars, uronic acids, or methylation was found with grafting.

 USDA-ARS Beltsville, Tianbao Yang and Wayne Jurik.

2.1. Blistering1, genetic regulator of apple fruit decay in blue mold, collaboration with Univ. WI, Penn State Univ. and Dartmouth Univ. We uncovered this novel global regulator using random T-DNA mutagenesis. The mutant caused ~20% smaller lesion size in apple fruit than wild type,  improper cell wall degrading enzyme production, reduced patulin and reduced virulence.

2.2. Comparative transcriptomics reveals mechanisms of postharvest fungicide resistance to azole chemistries in Penicillium spp.

2.3. Preharvest UV-B treatment improves strawberry quality and shelf-life. We further evaluated the fruit quality stored in 5 ^oC on day 7 and day 14. As compared to no treatment control, UV-B treatment retarded the decrease of L*, TSS, TPS and firmness sourness, and reduced fruit decay.

 Washington State Univ. and USDA-ARS, Wenatchee, WA, David Rudell, Carolina Torres

1. Identify rapid, stress provoking, at-harvest treatments that reduce scald levels during a prolonged supply.
2. Risk assessment for delayed sunburn and sunscald. Identifying changes in multiple metabolic targets detected in the UV-vis-NIR range may be a reliable basis for non-destructive detection of sun stress and/or cumulative sun exposure.
3. Carbon dioxide sensitivity of multiple apple cultivars including “club” cultivars. To identify CO₂ sensitivity and associated chemistry, and to determine best cold chain practices when CO₂ sensitivity is indicated.
4. Non-destructive detection of sun stress compromised apples. Ratios of wavelengths absorbed by chlorophyll and carotenoids can segregate fruit according to relative sun exposure.

Univ. of California, UC Davis, Mitcham, et al.

1. Relative quantification of apoplastic calcium levels using fluorescence microscopy (Reitz and Mitcham). This new method which has been tested on apple and tomato is simpler, faster, and cheaper than the previously used method of extraction and atomic absorption spectroscopy.
2. Bitter pit prediction trials (Reitz and Mitcham). Granny Smith apples harvested fruit 2 weeks before the expected harvest date and stored at 20°C for three weeks was not effective for bitter pit prediction. Potassium iodide, trichloroacetic acid, and starch can be used as an indicator of the presence of peroxides, which may be an early predictor of oxidative stress and developing bitter pit in apple.
3. Blossom-end rot development in immature tomato pericarp discs (Reitz and Mitcham). Our lab has developed a novel method for studying blossom-end rot (BER) using a pericarp disc system. Tomatoes excised from the blossom-end develop symptoms resembling blossom end rot over a 3.5-day storage period. These symptoms were associated with an increase in peroxidase and ascorbate oxidase activities, similar to BER in tomatoes on the plant.
4. Effect of abscisic acid and prohexadione-Ca sprays on bitter pit in Granny Smith (Reitz and Mitcham). Early treatment of prohexadione was effective in reducing the vigorous growth often associated with bitter pit. However, none of these treatments reduced bitter pit development after 75 days in cold storage compared to unsprayed trees.
5. Effect of postharvest water and calcium dips on ethylene production and bitter pit in apples. Undipped Granny Smith apples had the lowest bitter pit, and dipping fruit in water and surfactant alone significantly increased bitter pit. Dipping apple fruit was hypothesized to wash off in-field calcium treatments. Our results indicate that a 5-minute dip in room temperature water after harvest causes an approximately two-fold reduction in ethylene production in apples during the first month of storage and increased bitter pit incidence.

Outcomes and Impacts

The target audience: peer researchers, extension specialists and agents, Commodity Associations and shippers and producers/growers.

1. New varieties introduced and adopted by industry.
2. Adoption by industry of recommended postharvest handling practices to reduce losses and increase efficiency.
3. Increase in marketable yield.
4. Advances in understanding of biological processes.

Publications and Abstracts

 Risticevic, S., E.A. Souza-Silva, E. Gionfriddo, J.R. DeEll, J. Cochran, W. Scott Hopkins, and J. Pawliszyn.  2020.  Application of in vivo solid phase microextration (SPME) in capturing metabolome of apple (Malus ×domestica Borkh.) fruit.  Scientific Reports 10:6724, 11 pp. (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-63817-8)

 Staples, R, R.L. LaDuca, L.V Roze, M. Laivenieks, J.E. Linz, R. Beaudry, A. Fryday, B. Smith, A.L. Schilmiller, Taghavi T, Kim C, Rahemi A, 2018, Role of Natural Volatiles and Essential Oils in Extending Shelf Life and Controlling Postharvest Microorganisms of Small Fruits, Microorganisms 6 (4), 104.

 Taghavi, T, R. Siddiqui, L Rutto, The effect of preharvest factors on strawberry fruit quality,  In: Strawberry, IntechOpen publications.

 Takeda, F., W.Q. Yang, M. Zhang, L.W. DeVetter, R. Beaudry, P. Abeli, and S. Korthuis. 2019. Machine Harvesting Blueberries in the Pacific Northwest. Annual meeting American Society for Horticultural Science, 21- 25 July, Las Vegas, NV (abstract).

 Tong, C., R. Beaudry, C. Contreras, C.B. Watkins, J.F. Nock, Z. Vickers,K. Zhang, J.J. Luby, and D. Bedford. 2019. Postharvest Performance of ‘Minneiska’ Apple, a Progeny of ‘Honeycrisp’. J. Amer. Pomological Soc., 73:82-94.

Yang, W.Q., F. Takeda, M. Zhang, L.W. DeVetter, R. Beaudry, M/ Zhang, P. Abeli, S. Korthuis and C. Li. 2019. Postharvest Quality of Blueberries Harvested By a Modified over the Row Mechanical Harvester. Annual meeting American Society for Horticultural Science, 21-25 July, Las Vegas, NV (abstract).

 do Amarante, C.V.T., J.P.G. Silvereira, C.A. Steffens, S.T. de Freitas, E.J. Mitcham, and A. Miqueloto. 2019. Post-bloom and preharvest treatment of ‘Braeburn’ apple trees with prohexadione-calcium and GA4+7 affects vegetative growth and postharvest incidence of calcium-related physiological disorders and decay in the fruit. Scientia Hortic. 261, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2019.108919.

Jiang, F., A. Lopez, S. Jeon, S.T. de Freitas, Q. Yu, Z. Wu, and E.J Mitcham. 2019. Disassembly of the fruit cell wall by the ripening-associated polygalacturonase and expansin influences tomato cracking. Horticulture Research, 6(1): 17.

Book Chapters

Bishop, D., J. Schaefer, and R.M. Beaudry. 2020. Industrial advances of CA/MA technologies: innovative storage systems. p 265-276. In: Controlled and Modified Atmospheres for Fresh and Fresh-Cut Produce, Academic Press, ISBN 978-0-12-804599-2.

 DeEll, J.R.  2020.  Pome fruits: Apple quality and storage, p. 293-298.  In: M.I. Gil and R. Beaudry (eds).  Controlled and Modified Atmosphere for Fresh and Fresh-cut Produce.  Elsevier Academic Press, United Kingdom.

 Gil, M.I. and R.M. Beaudry. 2020. Controlled and Modified Atmospheres for Fresh and Fresh-Cut Produce, Academic Press, ISBN 978-0-12-804599-2, 649 pp.

 Madrid, M. and R.M. Beaudry. 2020. Small fruits: Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries. p. 335-346. In: Controlled and Modified Atmospheres for Fresh and Fresh-Cut Produce, Academic Press, ISBN 978-0-12-804599-2.

 Extension / Outreach Publications

 DeEll, J. 2019. Harvesting apples at optimum maturity for storage. Orchard Network 23(3):21.

 DeEll, J. 2019. Recommandations d’entreposage 2019. Bulletin aux Pomiculteurs 42(1):3.  

 DeEll, J. 2019.  Internal browning in ‘Gala’ apples.  Orchard Network 23(3):23.

 DeEll, J. 2019.  Storage of ‘Honeycrisp’ apples.  Orchard Network 23(3):22.

 DeEll, J. 2020.  Risk of chilling disorders in apples for 2019-20 season.  Orchard Network 24(1):10-11.

 DeEll, J. 2020.  Storage regimes to allow softening in ‘Northern Spy’ processing apples treated with 1-MCP.  Orchard Network 24(2):21-22.

 Green, A. and J. DeEll, 2019.  Ethylene production of different apple cultivars.  Orchard Network 23(3):1-2.

 Moran and Koehler, 2019 Aug. thru Sept. weekly updates on fruit maturity in Maine Tree Fruit Newsletter.

 Walsh et al. 2019. Weekly extension publications on apple fruit maturity in Penn State Extension Fruit Times

 Walsh, CS, AE Bissett, KW Hunt, TA Baugher, D Weber and NJ Young 2020.  Monitoring and Utilizing Fruit Maturity to Improve Harvest Decisions of New Apple Cultivars and Reduce Storage Disorders of Honeycrisp, Pennsylvania Fruit News. 100 (4): 24-26.