Left: Soft scald on Honeycrisp. Right: Honeycrisp with soggy breakdown. Honeycrisp is a challenging apple to grow, and the challenges don’t stop when the fruit is in the bin, notes Dr. Jim Mattheis, postharvest physiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Wenatchee, Washington, who is researching strategies for storing the variety long term. Honeycrisp is prone to a number of disorders, including soft scald, soggy breakdown, internal breakdown, and bitter pit, and can turn greasy when ripe. Research in Michigan and New York has shown that DPA (diphenylamine), which is used to prevent scald on other apple varieties, is […]