Apple growers are acutely aware of the damage sunburn can cause on their crop.
This physiological disorder caused by excessive sun and high temperatures results in severe crop loss every year.
With an expected increase in frequency and severity of extreme heat events, higher rates of sunburn damage may be expected in orchards in the future.
While we can’t change the weather, taking an integrated approach that includes orchard management practices and protective strategies can help reduce the chance of sunburn damage in the orchard.
Tips to prevent sunburn in apple orchards
• The fruit cuticle is the fruit’s first layer of defence against environmental stressors. Protect it with a foliar applied cuticle supplement early in the growing season. By supplementing the cuticle of the fruit and leaf, you can provide sunburn protection and improve overall fruit quality.
• Improve air movement through fruit blocks
• Schedule irrigations
• Train fruit tree canopy
• Avoid early summer pruning and leaf thinning
• Protect harvested fruit from direct sunlight.
Managing fruit quality and minimizing damage is an integrated approach. Watching the weather and tree developments while making timely management interventions and protecting the cuticle is critical to good quality fruit at packout.
See this article in Tree Fruit Sept 2023
