The occurrence of postharvest diseases on apples resistant to scab

Abstract

The occurrence of storage diseases on fruit of seven scab resistant apple cultivars (Freedom, Rajka, Topaz, Rubinola, Enterprise, Goldstar, GoldRush) grafted on M.9 was investigated in 2001-2005. The trees were planted in 1995. It was found that after storage (4 and 6 months at 2^°C, 85-90% RH) the most severe appeared to be bull's eye rot (<i>Pezicula</i> spp.). The most sensitive cultivars to this disease were: Topaz, Freedom, Goldstar, the least sensitive were Rubinola, Enterprise, Rajka. Other postharvest diseases like gray mold (<i>Botrytis cinerea</i>), blue mold (<i>Penicillium expansum</i>) and brown rot (<i>Monilinia fructigena</i>) were not common. 'Rajka' and 'Goldstar' were susceptible to bitter pit, and 'Freedom' to superficial scald.