Determination of cherry fruit resistance to cracking

Abstract

The cracking of fruits in rainy weather is an urgent problem of cherry growing in the conditions of the Right Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. In some years, damage due to cracking can completely destroy the crop. The degree of cracking depends on humidity, temperature, size, fruit density and yield. Resistance to cracking is largely determined by pomological variety and term of maturity (late-ripening fruits are more damaged), but the same varieties demonstrate themselves differently in different areas [3]. The reason of cracking is excessive absorption of water by the surface of the fruit under the action of osmotic pressure caused by sugars. There is the cracking index which is defined as the period of time from immersion of the fruit in distilled water to the appearance of cracks. However, varieties with a higher index are small-fruited, low-yielding and with mediocre taste.