Grand Rapids area apple maturity report – October 14, 2024

Last week of apple maturity reports.

Pink Lady apples are gaining color.
Pink Lady apples are gaining color. Photo by Lindsay Brown, MSU Extension.

Crop update

Late season Fujis are currently coming off trees in the Grand Rapids area. Evercrisp and Pink Lady apples are also being harvested this week. This will be the last apple maturity update of the season.

I am sampling internal ethylene this year. When reading those values, the percentage refers to the percent of sampled apples that exceeded 0.2 parts per million (ppm) internal ethylene. If over 50% of samples have this value, then they are ripening on their own and cannot be held back with stop-drop materials easily. Higher internal ethylene can have reduced long-term storage capacity. In practical terms, they should be prioritized for harvest.

Evercrisp

This variety was sampled at two locations in Kent County this week. Evercrisp is ripe this week. The starch clearing indicates overmaturity. The sugar accumulation is excellent. The firmness has continued to hold at 21.4, which is in line with mid-long controlled atmospheric storage recommendations.

Collection Date

Weight (g)

Diameter (mm)

Red Color (%)

Background Color

Ethylene (%)

Firmness (lbs)

Starch

Soluble Solids (°Brix)

9/23/2024

213.4 (128-306)

76.825 (65.2-87.9)

50.75 (25-75)

2.7 (2-4)

85%

24.93 (21.47-32.3)

2 (1-3)

14.1 (13.1-15.1)

9/30/2024

211 (117-322)

76.4 (63.4-88.6)

68 (40-90)

2.5 (2-3)

75%

24 (21.3-26.84)

2.5 (2-4)

14.6 (13.2-15.8)

10/7/2024

231.05 (156-350)

79.23 (69.2-89.8)

70.5 (45-85)

1.9 (1-3)

100%

21.4 (19.42-24.76)

2.5 (2-4)

15.6 (14.3-17.2)

10/14/2024

224.2 (148-309)

77.4 (69.6-87.4)

73 (45-90)

1.8 (1-3)

85%

21.37 (19.74-25.52)

3.45 (3-6)

16.5 (15-18.2)

Fuji

This variety was sampled at one location in Kent County this week. Fujis have largely been harvested in the area this week and are moving into overmaturity. The current pressure of 16 lbs is in line with the short term CA recommendations.

Collection Date

Weight (g)

Diameter (mm)

Red Color (%)

Background Color

Ethylene (%)

Firmness (lbs)

Starch

Soluble Solids (°Brix)

8/20/2024

 

68.2 (59.4 - 74.5)

43 (20 - 70)

2.5 (2-3)

 

22.4 (19.7 - 29.4)

1.8 (1 - 2)

9.1 (9 - 9.3)

8/28/2024

147.2 (86-220)

68.1 (60-79)

 

55.3 (30-90)

2.3 (1-3)

 

23.3 (20.4-27.7)

2.1 (1-3)

10 (9.4-11)

9/3/2024

157 (122-201)

70.2 (64.6-78.1)

62.8 (35-85)

2.3 (1-3)

13%

20.9 (18.7-25.6)

1.9 (1-3)

10.6 (10-13)

9/9/2024

168.8 (117-246)

71.3 (63.1-80)

66.5 (30-85)

2.3 (2-3)

37%

20.7 (17.76-25.67)

2.3 (1-4)

10.77 (10-12)

9/16/2024

187.1 (108-275)

73.9 (59.3-86.2)

71.7 (45-90)

2.6 (2-4)

23%

20 (17.25-26.92)

2.2 (2-3)

11.8 (10.8-12.8)

9/23/2024

202.9 (198-281)

74.91 (75.9-83.1)

76.5 (75-90)

2.1 (2-3)

80%

19.965 (17.69-22.46)

2.55 (2-3)

13.04 (11.2-15.1)

9/30/2024

201.2 (143-309)

75.7 (67.3-87.1)

75.2 (35-90)

1.8 (1-3)

60%

18.9 (15.8-25.3)

3.7 (1-6)

13.4 (11.4-17.2)

10/7/2024

209.1 (120-320)

77.02 (64.2-89.8)

70.5 (40-90)

1.4 (1-2)

100%

17.6 (12.98-21.27)

4.4 (3-8)

14.75 (12.1-16.2)

10/14/2024

207.7 (161-225)

77.7 (71.1-80.8)

79 (45-95)

1.3 (1-2)

90%

16.9 (14.8-19.3)

4.9 (4-6)

16 (14.3 -17)

Pink Lady

This variety was sampled at two locations in Kent County this week. While the firmness is still fairly high for this variety (compared to the recommended 18 lbs. for long term CA storage), the starch and sugars indicate that this variety is now mature. 

Collection Date

Weight (g)

Diameter (mm)

Red Color (%)

Background Color

Ethylene (%)

Firmness (lbs)

Starch

Soluble Solids (°Brix)

10/7/2024

198.2 (147-232)

74.6 (66.4-81.6)

71.5 (60-85)

1.6 (1-2)

80.0%

21.5 (16.7-28.45)

4 (2-6)

15.3 (14.2-16)

10/14/2024

180.35 (129-235)

72.35 (66.3-78.4)

67.75 (30-85)

1.1 (1-2)

55%

20.4 (18.3-29)

4 (2-7)

14.2 (12.8-15.4)

For more information about regional reports, please visit the Michigan State University Extension website.

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