Effect of Spring Frost Damage on Apple Fruit (Malus domestica Borkh.) Inner Quality at Harvest

Abstract

In the last few years, spring frosts have become more of a rule than an exception. There are several prevention measures available for growers and numerous are being tested; however, fruitlets are often affected to some extent. One of the more common phenomena is the development of frost rings. The aim of our study was to evaluate how the occurrence of frost rings affects sugar, organic acid, and phenol content in the flesh and phenol content in the peel of cv. ‘Gala’ apples. The results show that the frost damage from spring frost affects compounds in the peel, as well as in the flesh of ripe apples. The flesh of fruits with frost rings contained higher content of fructose and in the flesh directly under the rings there was higher sorbitol and malic acid content. Additionally, the hydroxycinnamic acid and dihydrochalcone content in apple flesh was also altered by frost. The frost-affected peel had a completely different ratio of phenolic compounds content in comparison to healthy apples. While there was a significantly higher content of hydroxycinnamic acids and dihydrochalcones in the corky peel in comparison to the unaffected peel, the flavonol and anthocyanin content was considerably lower.