Comprehensive Honeycrisp harvest and storage recommendations

, – September 12, 2022

There are many ways to store honeycrisp, and the best way to do it, especially for a long time, depends on work done in the field and after harvest. Here we discuss those options, focusing on successful storage recipes for Honeycrisp with various options.

Figure 1. Chilling injury in Honeycrisp. Ribbon scald (a. k. a. soft scald) and soggy breakdown (internal browning) occurring together. Both may manifest alone. Photo by Randolph Beaudry, MSU Extension.

Honeycrisp apple fruit are difficult to store due to a number of postharvest issues. One of the most important problems is the extremely high sensitivity to chilling (Fig. 1). Five to seven days of pre-storage conditioning at 50 to 60 Fahrenheit is a good way to protect the fruit, but it still needs to be kept at temperatures a few degrees above freezing. Our suggested storage temperature is 36 to 38 F. Lower temperatures may work sometimes if the fruit is pre-conditioned, but we’ve seen problems happen after pre-conditioned fruit was stored at 32 F. Pre-storage conditioning can help bitter pits grow, so we suggest that when you can, you store only the fruit that is least likely to develop bitter pits. Honeycrisp are also sensitive to injury by CO2 in storage (Fig. 2). Damage from CO2 is a little worse for fruit that isn’t fully ripe yet, and it also depends on the amount of oxygen in the storage space; lower oxygen levels make damage worse. We suggest that you protect yourself from CO2 damage in some way. For many years, an intense conditioning period of five to seven days at 68 F has worked very well for us. A shorter conditioning period (three days) at higher temperatures (75 – 80 F) may be similarly effective. Unfortunately, this form of intensive conditioning can advance ripening and can slightly shorten storability. Treatment with diphenylamine (DPA) as a drench or thermofog is very good at stopping CO2 damage in Honeycrisp. It could definitely be used instead of a preconditioning treatment to stop CO2 damage. DPA has no meaningful suppressive effect on chilling injury. Another alternative to CA storage is the use of 1-MCP to suppress ripening. So far, the results have been pretty good, but there may be a small increase in how easily CO2 can hurt plants. Also, 1-MCP treatment has been known to exacerbate a disorder known as leather blotch (Fig. 3), which is orchard-specific, and little is known about causes of this injury. We strongly advise keeping an eye on CO2 levels during the loading phase and the first cooling phase, and venting the room if needed. That being said, high O2 levels (e. g. , air with 21% O2) suppress CO2 injury. The following are our recipes for storage of Honeycrisp with some estimates of storability. These recommendations are drawn from work by MSU, Cornell, Washington State, and Ontario researchers. At MSU Extension, you can find out more about when to pick Honeycrisp and other apple varieties and when they are fully ripe.

Figure 2. CO2 injury in Honeycrisp. Photo credit by Randolph Beaudry, MSU Extension.

Figure 3. Leather blotch and associated decay on Honeycrisp. Photo credit by Randolph Beaudry, MSU Extension.

If you want to store Honeycrisp apples or any other apple variety, you should pick them early in the season instead of later. To pick Honeycrisp early, use the tools you have access to, such as ground covers that reflect light, pruning to let more light in, early coloring cultivars, and avoid early ripening cultivars.

Manage crop load and minimize biennial bearing to even out production and reduce the risk of bitter pit. Provide adequate calcium using five to eight sprays beginning shortly after fruit set. Avoid bitter pit promoting rootstocks and orchard sites. Use historical records to identify risky sites and avoid them for long-term storage.

Use of early coloring cultivars (not early ripening cultivars like Premier and others) and growth regulators is encouraged. To stop fruit drop, use less of ReTain (multiple applications are fine) or Harvista, with or without NAA. Harvista-treated blocks might give better color because the inhibitory treatment is later in development and can’t mess up red coloration as much as ReTain.

• Prior to 60% starch clearance (Starch Index less than 6% on the Cornell Starch Chart) and ground color change from green to yellow, the crop should be harvested at its peak maturity.
• Set the temperature to 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit for five to seven days to prevent chilling injury (make sure the CO2 levels don’t go above 1%; this is especially important for fruit from young trees).
• Keep at 36 to 38 F for three to four months, or a little longer if it was less mature at first.

• Prior to 60% starch clearance (Starch Index less than 6% on the Cornell Starch Chart) and ground color change from green to yellow, the crop should be harvested at its peak maturity.
• If you can, treat with 1-MCP (1 ppm, 24 hr) during preconditioning. It’s not helpful to use 1-MCP over and over if the interval is 1. 5 months of greater.
• Set the temperature to 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit for five to seven days to prevent chilling injury (make sure the CO2 levels don’t go above 1%; this is especially important for fruit from young trees).
• Keep at 36 to 38 F for up to five months, or a little longer if it was less mature at first.

OPTION 1 (mild preconditioning)

• Prior to 60% starch clearance (Starch Index less than 6% on the Cornell Starch Chart) and ground color change from green to yellow, the crop should be harvested at its peak maturity.
• Set the temperature to 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit for five to seven days to prevent chilling injury (make sure the CO2 levels don’t go above 1%; this is especially important for fruit from young trees).
• Keep it between 36 and 38 F for at least one month with CO2 levels below 0. 5 to 1% and O2 between 1. 5 and 3%. Next: Standard CA: Store at %2036%20–%2038%20F%20for%20another%20five%20to%20six%20months (~%20six%20to%20seven%20months%20total)%20with%20CO2%20level%203%%20and%20O2%20between%201 5 and 3%. Fruit can be held longer if initial maturity was less. *Low O2 content: store at %2036%20%E2%80%93%2038%20F%20for%20~six%20to%20seven%20months (~seven%20to%20eight%20months%20total) with a CO2 level of 1% and an O2 level of 200 5 to 1% (use DCA technology if available). Fruit can be held longer if initial maturity was less.

OPTION 2 (intense preconditioning to help control CO2 injury)

• Prior to 60% starch clearance (Starch Index less than 6% on the Cornell Starch Chart) and ground color change from green to yellow, the crop should be harvested at its peak maturity.
• Make sure the CO2 levels don’t go above 1%; this is especially important for fruit from young trees. Precondition for three to five days at a temperature of 207°F to stop chilling and CA injuries. Intense preconditioning can shorten the time that food can be stored and make the bitter pits grow bigger. Standard CA: Store at %2036%20–%2038%20F%20for%20~%20six%20months%20with%20a%20CO2 level%20of%20%3C1%%20and%20O2%20between%201 5 and 3%. Fruit can be held longer if initial maturity was less. Low O2 CA: Store at 2036.62 degrees Fahrenheit (E2.80938.93 degrees Celsius) for six to seven months with a CO2 level of 1% and an O2 level of 200 5 to 1% (use DCA technology if available). Fruit can be held longer if initial maturity was less.

OPTION 1 (mild preconditioning)

• Prior to 60% starch clearance (Starch Index less than 6% on the Cornell Starch Chart) and ground color change from green to yellow, the crop should be harvested at its peak maturity.
• Use 1-MCP (1 ppm, 24 hours; at the same time as preconditioning) to treat.
• Set the temperature to 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit for five to seven days to prevent chilling injury (make sure the CO2 levels don’t go above 1%; this is especially important for fruit from young trees).
• Keep at %2036% to %2038% F for up to one month with CO2 levels below 1% and O2 levels between 1% and 2%. 5 and 3%. Then: 20%20Standard%20CA:%20Store%20at%2036%20–%2038%20F%20for%20~%20six%20to%20seven%20months (~%20seven%20to%20eight%20months%20total)%20with%20oxygen%20levels%20between%201 and%201%. 5 and 3%. Fruit can be held longer if initial maturity was less. Store at %2036%20–%2038%20F%20for%20seven%20to%20eight%20months (~%20eight%20to%20nine%20months%20total)%20with%20a%20CO2%20level%20of%20less%20than%201%%20and%20an%20O2%20level%20of%200 5 to 1% (use DCA technology if available). Fruit can be held longer if initial maturity was less.

OPTION 2 (intense preconditioning)

• Prior to 60% starch clearance (Starch Index less than 6% on the Cornell Starch Chart) and ground color change from green to yellow, the crop should be harvested at its peak maturity.
• Use 1-MCP (1 ppm, 24 hours; at the same time as preconditioning) to treat.
• Conditions for three to five days at a temperature of 205°F to prevent chilling and CA damage (make sure CO2 levels don’t go above 1%; this is especially important for fruit from young trees). Intense preconditioning can shorten the time that food can be stored and make the bitter pits grow bigger. Then: Save at 20%20Standard%20CA%20for%20six%20to%20seven%20months%20with%20a%20CO2%20level%20less%20than1%%%20and%20O2%20between%201 5 and 3%. Fruit can be held longer if initial maturity was less. Store at %2036%20–%2038%20F%20for%20seven%20to%20eight%20months%20with%20a%20CO2%20level%of%20%3C1%%20and%20an%20O2%20level%of%200 5 to 1% (use DCA technology if available). Fruit can be held longer if initial maturity was less.

• Prior to 60% starch clearance (Starch Index less than 6% on the Cornell Starch Chart) and ground color change from green to yellow, the crop should be harvested at its peak maturity.
• Set the temperature to 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit for five to seven days to prevent chilling injury (make sure the CO2 levels don’t go above 1%; this is especially important for fruit from young trees). Then: 20%20Standard%20CA:%20Store%20at%2036%20–%2038%20F%20for%20%27months%20with%20a%20CO2%20level%20less%20than%201%%20and%20O2%20between%2018%20and%201%. 5 and 3%. Fruit can be held longer if initial maturity was less. Store at %2036%20–%2038%20F%20for%20seven%20to%20eight%20months%20with%20a%20CO2%20level%20of%20~1%%20and%20an%20O2%20level%20of%200 5 to 1% (use DCA technology if available). Fruit can be held longer if initial maturity was less.

• Harvest at the best time—before 60% starch clearance (Starch Index less than 6% on the Cornell Starch Chart) and the ground turns yellow from green.
• Use 1-MCP (1 ppm, 24 hours; at the same time as preconditioning) to treat.
• Set the temperature to 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit for five to seven days to prevent chilling injury (make sure the CO2 levels don’t go above 1%; this is especially important for fruit from young trees). Store at %20Standard%20CA:%20F%20for%20eight%20months%20with%20a%20CO2 level of 3% and a%20O2 level between 1% and 2%. 5 and 3%. Fruit can be held longer if initial maturity was less. Low oxygen levels: Keep the item at 66° to 38° for nine to ten months with a carbon dioxide level of 1% and an oxygen level of 200 5 to 1% (use DCA technology if available). Fruit can be held longer if initial maturity was less.

How to Store Apples for Months – Home cold storage! Deep freezer for Honeycrisp apples

FAQ

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