THE CHALLENGE
Apple growers face a significant challenge in balancing fruit quality and yield due to the complex role of ethylene, a plant hormone that both enhances red coloration and accelerates fruit drop before harvest. While ethylene inhibitors like AVG and 1-MCP are used to reduce losses from premature fruit detachment, they also suppress anthocyanin production, leading to dull-colored apples that fail to meet consumer preferences and market standards. On the other hand, using ethylene boosters such as ACC, an ethylene biosynthetic precursor, can improve skin color but often results in excessive fruit drop, particularly in early-ripening apple varieties. This technical trade-off forces growers to make tough choices between visual appeal and marketable yield, often within a very narrow window of harvest timing. The current solutions are inconsistent and highly dependent on cultivar sensitivity, spray timing, and environmental conditions, creating a gap in the industry for smarter, more adaptable pre-harvest management tools that can optimize both fruit retention and coloration for better economic returns.
OUR SOLUTION
We introduce a novel pre-harvest treatment for apples and other pome fruits that strategically combines an ethylene inhibitor such as AVG or 1-MCP with the ethylene precursor ACC in a carefully balanced ratio. This dual-action formula is applied three weeks before harvest, either as a single spray or in sequence. Unlike current products that force growers to choose between preventing fruit drop or achieving optimal red color, our approach delivers both. By fine-tuning ethylene activity, it reduces losses from premature fruit fall while enhancing the vibrant skin coloration that drives consumer appeal and retail pricing. Field trials have shown that this method can extend harvest timing and boost packout rates, offering a practical, scalable, and profitable solution for growers looking to meet strict quality standards and increase returns per acre.
Figure: Influence of Accede and ReTain Blend on Enhancing Fruit Color in 'Honeycrisp' Apples at Standard Harvest Time and Two Weeks Post-Harvest.
Advantages:
- Simultaneously controls fruit drop and enhances red skin coloration
- Extends harvest window by up to two weeks
- Increases marketable yield and pack-out rates
- Reduces labor with flexible, combined application options
Potential Application:
- Pre-harvest drop control and color enhancement in commercial apple orchards
- Development of dual-action PGR products for agrochemical markets
- Harvest timing optimization across multiple pome fruit cultivars
