Watercore of apples

Watercore is a physiological disorder of apple fruit characterised by water-soaked tissue around the vascular bundles or core area due to the spaces between cells becoming filled with fluid instead of air. Affected tissue is water-soaked and glassy looking. Generally damage is not visible on the skin, and it is only when fruit are cut that the damage is seen. In severe cases flesh can be affected right up to the skin, which then darkens over affected areas.

The contents of this Primefact include the following:

• What is watercore?
• Cause
• Contributing factors
• Symptoms
  • Block watercore
  • Radial watercore
• Control
• Post harvest
• Acknowledgments
• Further reading