Effects of ethephon application on color development of "Gala Must’ apples"

Abstract

Fruit peel color is an important quality parameter and marketing attribute that influences consumer acceptance. Red color development in apples is due to the formation of anthocyanin pigments in the apple skin. Anthocyanin production, and therefore apple color is influenced by a range of environmental and management factors in the orchard. Aims: To evaluate the influence of ethephon to the color development of “Gala Must” apple variety. To study color development of the apple fruits were experimented the following variants of treatment: 1. Control – no treatment; 2. Ethephon – 300 ppm; 3. Ethephon – 400 ppm. Ethephon were sprayed 2 – 3 weeks before commercial harvest. In the present research work, we demonstrated that ethephon may be included in the system of color development on apple fruits, the dose of 400 ppm, applied 2 – 3 weeks before commercial harvest.