Greater Sunlight Exposure during Early Fruit Development Increases Polyphenol Concentration, Soluble Solid Concentration, and Fruit Mass of Cider Apples
The environmental factors that influence cider apple fruit quality, particularly bitter and astringent polyphenols, are not well understood. Five experiments were conducted to investigate how sunlight affects fruit and juice quality. In three studies, shade cloth was placed over entire trees or indi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Horticulturae |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/11/993 |
| _version_ | 1797468117903867904 |
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| author | Adam Duerr Karl Gregory Michael Peck |
| author_facet | Adam Duerr Karl Gregory Michael Peck |
| author_sort | Adam Duerr Karl |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The environmental factors that influence cider apple fruit quality, particularly bitter and astringent polyphenols, are not well understood. Five experiments were conducted to investigate how sunlight affects fruit and juice quality. In three studies, shade cloth was placed over entire trees or individual branches at different phenological stages, durations, and opacities. Influence of canopy microclimate was investigated by harvesting fruit from different sections of the tree canopy. In a final study, opaque paper bags were placed over fruit three weeks after full bloom (WAFB) until harvest. Polyphenol concentrations increased rapidly during the first five WAFB and were diluted as fruit grew larger. At harvest, fruit from unshaded trees had 32% greater total polyphenol concentrations and were 11% larger than trees shaded 1–5 WAFB. Shading branches later in the growing season reduced yield but had a modest and inconsistent reduction on polyphenol concentrations. Juice from fruit harvested from the top of the tree canopy had 33% greater polyphenol concentrations and 14% greater soluble solid concentrations than juice from the interior of the canopy. Bagging fruit had inconsistent impacts on polyphenol concentrations. We hypothesize that there is a source sink relationship between carbohydrate availability and polyphenol synthesis in apple fruit during the early stages of fruit development when most polyphenols are produced. Additionally, greater carbohydrate availability in canopies with greater sunlight exposure resulted in larger fruit and improved juice quality from a cider making perspective. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:03:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d82c508642b042be988c2feed7dc1ba1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2311-7524 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:03:00Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Horticulturae |
| spelling | doaj.art-d82c508642b042be988c2feed7dc1ba12023-11-24T04:52:29ZengMDPI AGHorticulturae2311-75242022-10-0181199310.3390/horticulturae8110993Greater Sunlight Exposure during Early Fruit Development Increases Polyphenol Concentration, Soluble Solid Concentration, and Fruit Mass of Cider ApplesAdam Duerr Karl0Gregory Michael Peck1School of Integrative Plant Science, Horticulture Section, Cornell University, Plant Science Building, Ithaca, NY 14853, USASchool of Integrative Plant Science, Horticulture Section, Cornell University, Plant Science Building, Ithaca, NY 14853, USAThe environmental factors that influence cider apple fruit quality, particularly bitter and astringent polyphenols, are not well understood. Five experiments were conducted to investigate how sunlight affects fruit and juice quality. In three studies, shade cloth was placed over entire trees or individual branches at different phenological stages, durations, and opacities. Influence of canopy microclimate was investigated by harvesting fruit from different sections of the tree canopy. In a final study, opaque paper bags were placed over fruit three weeks after full bloom (WAFB) until harvest. Polyphenol concentrations increased rapidly during the first five WAFB and were diluted as fruit grew larger. At harvest, fruit from unshaded trees had 32% greater total polyphenol concentrations and were 11% larger than trees shaded 1–5 WAFB. Shading branches later in the growing season reduced yield but had a modest and inconsistent reduction on polyphenol concentrations. Juice from fruit harvested from the top of the tree canopy had 33% greater polyphenol concentrations and 14% greater soluble solid concentrations than juice from the interior of the canopy. Bagging fruit had inconsistent impacts on polyphenol concentrations. We hypothesize that there is a source sink relationship between carbohydrate availability and polyphenol synthesis in apple fruit during the early stages of fruit development when most polyphenols are produced. Additionally, greater carbohydrate availability in canopies with greater sunlight exposure resulted in larger fruit and improved juice quality from a cider making perspective.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/11/993applecarbohydrateciderpolyphenolphenologysunlight |
| spellingShingle | Adam Duerr Karl Gregory Michael Peck Greater Sunlight Exposure during Early Fruit Development Increases Polyphenol Concentration, Soluble Solid Concentration, and Fruit Mass of Cider Apples Horticulturae apple carbohydrate cider polyphenol phenology sunlight |
| title | Greater Sunlight Exposure during Early Fruit Development Increases Polyphenol Concentration, Soluble Solid Concentration, and Fruit Mass of Cider Apples |
| title_full | Greater Sunlight Exposure during Early Fruit Development Increases Polyphenol Concentration, Soluble Solid Concentration, and Fruit Mass of Cider Apples |
| title_fullStr | Greater Sunlight Exposure during Early Fruit Development Increases Polyphenol Concentration, Soluble Solid Concentration, and Fruit Mass of Cider Apples |
| title_full_unstemmed | Greater Sunlight Exposure during Early Fruit Development Increases Polyphenol Concentration, Soluble Solid Concentration, and Fruit Mass of Cider Apples |
| title_short | Greater Sunlight Exposure during Early Fruit Development Increases Polyphenol Concentration, Soluble Solid Concentration, and Fruit Mass of Cider Apples |
| title_sort | greater sunlight exposure during early fruit development increases polyphenol concentration soluble solid concentration and fruit mass of cider apples |
| topic | apple carbohydrate cider polyphenol phenology sunlight |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/11/993 |
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