1. WEL-COME

2. TOPIC: Physiological Disorders and its management
in subtropical & Temperate Fruit crops
2
SUBMITTED BY:
S. SHARVESH,
M.Sc. HORTICULTURE,
DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE,
FACULTY OF AGRICULTUR,
ANNAMALAI UNIVERSITY.

3. Introduction
• “Physiological disorders are deviation in normal
physiological process of the plant which occurs, due to
adverse climatic condition, nutritional imbalance or
genetically inheritance”
• The distinction between physiological or abiotic disorders
from other disorders is that they are not caused by living
organisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi, insects, etc.) but they
are the result of abiotic condition.

4. Physiological disorders
Disorders are due to abnormal environmental conditions
improper nutrition and without involvement of primary
parasite
Classification of physiological disorders
 Nutritional disorder
• Developed due to imbalance of nutrients in plants
• Inadequate distribution with in the plants
• Pre harvest in origin but exist after post harvest
Ex. Bitter pit in apple, Soft nose in mango
 Respiratory disorder
• Disturbance of normal respiration, when stored in
unsuitable temperature
Ex. Brown core in apple

5.  Temperature disorder
a. Heat injury
b. Chilling injury
c. Freezing injury
• Because of extreme low & high temperature
• It occur in field or at any stage of harvest
Ex. Sun scald in apple, chilling injury in papaya, pine apple

6. A. Physiological disorders are often caused by the
deficiency or excess of something that supports life
or by presence of something that interfers with life.
B. Physiological disorders can affect plants in all stages
of their development.
C. They are non transmissible because they occur
without or in absence of infectious agents.
D. Dealing with physiological disorders often means
dealing with the consequence from a past event.
E. Physiological disorders not only cause damage
themselves but also serve as the ‘open door’ for
pathogens

7. Physiological disorders affects to the
1. normal growth of the plant,
2. quality of fruit produce and
3. shelf life of the fruit.
• Some minor physiological disorders are not of much
economic importance while others are of great
importance and created havoc in the fruit production.
• Physiological disorders create 5% to 50% of economical
loss by interrupting to its quality and market value.

8. Factors implicated in occourance of
physiological disorders
Irradiance
Relative humidity
Atmospheric condition
Carbon dioxide
concentration
Heat stress

9. Water stress
High salts
Improper planting
techniques
Nutrient deficiency or excess
Genetic factors

10. winter injury and frost
Wind injury
Chemical injury
Mechanical injury
Physical soil problems

11. Physiological disorders can be corrected by
Divergence in agronomical
practices
Selection of variety
Proper nutrient management
Application of PGR

12. Physiological disorders of Grape
Water Berries
The condition of berries wherein they lack normal sugar, colour,
flavour and keeping quality is referred as water berries.
The affected berries become watery, soft, and flabby when ripe
(almost normal in size but their flesh is not firm) and shrivel and
dry by the time of harvest.

13. It occurs due to high nitrogen status vine, canopy shading, and
cool weather during fruit veraison and ripening.
Excessive irrigation and nitrogenous fertilizers should be avoided
during berry development to reduce the water-berry formation.
Potash application during berry growth period.
Trimming off affected berries during harvest is a common
practice, although labour intensive.

14. Mummification
Though the etiology of mummification in grapes is not known
(due to complex factors), the affected water berries in severe
cases, shrivel and dry at the time of harvest leads to
mummification.

15. Shot berries
Shot berries are smaller, sweeter, round and seedless as compared
to normal berries in a cluster.
Boron deficiency is the main cause of this disorder.
Affected leaves show spotty yellowing and tend to be undersized
and cupped.
Affected clusters may totally abort or develop a few small
berries, often with many small, green “shot” berries.
Occurs either due to poor pollination and fertilization or due to
inadequate flow of carbohydrates into the set berries.

16. • Boron or Zinc deficiencies should be corrected.
• Prebloom application of GA (Gibrellic acid) at proper stage
should be ensured.

17. Flower bud, flower & berry drop
 Flower buds, flower & berry drop makes the bunch loose &
unattractive
 Factors responsible-High temperature, Heavy rain, improper
fertilization, water stress, heavy crop load, auxin deficiency at a
particular stage of berry development
Control
 Making 0.5 cm wide girdle on the tree trunk about 10 days before
bloom
 Judicious application of fertilizers
 Dipping the bunches in NAA containing formulation
 Regular & uniform irrigation

18. Uneven ripening
 Presence of green berries in a ripe
bunch of colored grapes
 It is a varietal characters & a problem in
Bangalore blue, Bangalore purple,
Beauty seedless & Gulabi grapes
Control
 Cultural practices like cluster thinning,
girdling & use of growth regulators
 Application of Ethophon 250ppm at
colour break stage

19. Pink berry formation
 Common disorder in Thomson seedless & its clones
 Pink blush develops on a few ripe berries close to harvesting
 The pink colour turns to dull red colour & the berries become
soft & watery
Control
 Spray a mixture of 0.2% ascorbic acid
& 0.25% sodium di ethyl dithiocarbamate

20. Pink berry
As the bunch approaches maturity some berries becomes pink
colour at random.
pink colour changes to dull red colour rendering the bunch
unattractive.
These berries become watery and collapse within a few days
after harvest and can not stand storage and transport.

21. Blossom end rot
• A black sunken spot developed at the blossom end of the berry
which later on spread with water soaked region around it.
• Defective calcium nutrition assimilation appears to be the cause
for it.
Control:
• Spray of 1.0 % calcium nitrate may correct this disorder.

22. Interveinal chlorosis
• When the area between vein becomes yellowish .
• It may be due to Magnesium, Zinc, Iron deficiency.
Control
• 0.2%sprayin veins with 0.2% Sulphate salt of the nutrients
(MgSO4, ZnSO4).
• Soil containing more than 0.3% salt should avoided for the grape
cultivation.

23. Hen and chicken disorder
Symptom
presence of many small berries around a bold berry in cluster .
• The bold berries is taken as indicative o f hen and small berry of
chicken and hence the name.
Causes
• Impaired fertilization.
• Growth of many berries without embryo formation following the use of
growth promoters.
• berry size is reduced but the shape is as usual. Whereas , in case
of boron deficiency the berry is spherical/oblate.
Control
• Spray zinc 0.5% and boron 0.3% following proper schedule
before flowering.

24. Hen and chicken disorder

25. Bud and flower drop
• It also known as coulure and shelling.
Symptom:
• Excessive shedding of flower bud about 8-10 before full
bloom.
• Loose and straggly bunches.

26. Causes
• Moisture stress .
• Imbalance C/N ratio in plants.
• High ABA and low Auxins
• This is very severe in Beauty seedless, Thomson seedless,
Cardinal and Himrod .
Control
• Prevent moisture stress spray NAA before anthesis timely
spray zinc and boron and proper canopy management.

27. Pink berry
Symptom
• development of red streaks on the peels of few berry .
• Development of pink berry in bunches during ripening before
harvest.
• Turning pink colure to dull red rendering the bunch unattractive.
Causes
• Large diurnal variation in temperature during ripening .
• This is very serious Thompson Seedless, and Tas-A-Ganesh.
Control
• Avoid moisture stress.
• Application of adequate dose of Potash .
• Cluster dipping in 10 ppm Benzyl.

28. Short berry/ Millerandage
Symptom
• Development of some smaller berries in otherwise in normal
bunch
• Causes
• Poor pollination and fertilization.

29. • Boron deficiency.
• Improper application of GA3.
• It is a major problem in variety and Perlette and Beauty
seedless.
Control
• Pre bloom application of GA3.
• Avoidance of boron and zinc deficiencies.
• Berry thinning by the use of Auxins.
• Dipping of bunch at very set stage in the solution of
Ethephon 25 ppm.
• About 50% of the differentiated bud are found more or less
shriveled and browning and black in color. When examined
under microscope the might due to excessive nitrogen
application under high N condition , some phyllo sphere
fungi might become parasitic causing bud mortality.

30. Barrenness of vine
Symptom
• development of unproductive wood .
• Failure to bear to normal crop.
• Reduced productive life of vine.
• Causes :
• Faulty training and pruning.
• Heading back to have develop healthy limbs.

31. Uneven ripening
Symptom
• Green colored unriped berry in otherwise ripened bunches.
Causes
• Inadequate leaf areas.
• Non availability of food reserve .
• This is a problem in Bangalore blue, Beauty seedless, Gulabi.
Control
• Cluster thinning stem gridling
• Application of Ethephon 250ppm at color break(veraision)
stage.

32. Bud killing
• Formation of limited number of bud and bud killing has been
reported to be associated with productivity in Thompson
seedless and its clones (Jindal and Dabas,1982a,b).

33. Gamboge
Symptom
• Exudation of yellow gum from the fruits and branches
• Fruits turns white
• Pulp tums yellow
• Emission of unpleasant flavour form fruits
• Fruits with gamboge have a bitter taste and are completely
inedible.
Physiological disorders of Mangosteen

34. Causes
• Fruits exposed to direct sunlight
• Summer maturity of fruits
• Heavy and continuous rains at the time of fruit ripening favour
gamboge in certain locations.
Control
Covering of fruits to avoid direct contact of sunlight.
Fruit splitting
Fruit splitting results in swollen arils with a mushy pulp.
Heavy and continuous rains during fruit ripening favour fruit
splitting in certain locations.
Fruit spotted with yellow resin Desecrated yellow latex in the aril

35. Physiological disorders of Jamun
Flower and fruit drop
Heavy drop of flowers and fruits has been observed in jamun at
various stages.
About 50% flowers drop within the 3-4 weeks of flowering. It
occurs at very young stage during 5-7 weeks of full bloom.
Control:
The problem of flower and fruit drop can be minimized by
spraying of GA3 (60ppm) twice, one at full bloom and other
15days after fruit set.

36. Physiological disorders of Pomegranate
Chilling Injury
External symptoms
Brown discoloration of the skin.
Increased susceptibility to decay.
Internal symptoms
A pale color of the arils
Brown discoloration of the white segments separating the arils.
control
Avoid exposure of pomegranates to temperatures below 5°C
(41°F).

39. Husk Scald
Late harvested fruit is less suceptible than earlier harvest fruits.

40. Fruit cracking
Causes
• Lack of orchard management
• The quality (volume) of
rainfall at one time.
The full quantity and distribution of rainfall during the mature and
ripening stage.
Remedy
Irrigate field regularly during summer month so as to maintain soil
moisture.
Plant wind break around pomegranate plantation.
Spray 0.8% borax to to check fruit cracking.
Spray 100 ppm NAA during the fruit growth period.

41. Physiological disorders of fig
Sun burn and Fruit Cracking
• Sunburn and fruit cracking are two major physiological
disorders in fig.
• The exposure of the plant to direct sunlight and heavy pruning
exposing the trunck and branches.
• High humidity with low temperature result in fruit spliting.
• It is also advisable to keep fig tree at a safe distance from the
male caprifig to avoid excessive pollination.

42.  Fig is susceptible to sun-burn, fruit splitting and fruit drop.
 Sun burn is noticed mostly in young plants and those subjected to
excessive pruning.
 the affected parts crack and the bark peels off, providing easy
access for fungi and other infection.
 Developing a good canopy by proper pruning and coating the
exposed limbs with lime protect the plants from sunburn.
 Fruit splitting is due to sudden change in the atmospheric humidity
during ripening.
 This leads to the microbial infection.
 Fruit drop also major problem.

43. Physiological disorders of Carambola
Chilling injury
• Symptoms include surface pitting.
• The incidence can be avoided by storing the fruits in safe limit
of temperature.
Physical Injury
• Rib-edge browning and stem-end browning can result from
surface abrasions and other types of bruising.
• The browning intensity increases with water loss from the
fruits.
• Handling carambolas with care to minimize bruising is
essential to reducing postharvest losses.

44. Shriveling
Symptoms become visible when the carambolas lose about 5% or
greater of their weight due to water stress.
Heat damage
Skin browning and flesh softening may occur when carambolas
are exposed to heat treatments [such as 46°C (115°F) for 35 to 55
minutes] for insect control to satisfy quarantine requirements.
Better alternatives may be cold treatment and/or irradiation.

45. Fruit cracking
Fruit drop and cracking in beal before ripening are main
problems.
Inadequte moisture during early period of growth result in the
skin becoming hard and crack.
Heavy rainfall is also cause of this remedy.
Mulching minimizes fruit cracking as it helps in the conservation
of moisture, fruit cracking also reduce by spraying of 0.1% borax.
Fruit drop
Maintain apropriate moisture level during fruit development
reduce fruit drop.
Spraying growth regulatore like 2,4-D, and 2,4,5-T with various
concentrations check fruit drop to a reasonable extent.
Physiological disorders of Beal

46. Physiological disorders of Litchi
Flower and Fruit Drop
The flower and fruit drop is thought to be due to failure of
fertilization, embryo abortion, nutrition and hormonal imbalance
and external factors like high temperature, low humidity and
strong winds as well as due to fruit borer and heavy mite attack.
maximum fruit drop during the first fortnight after fruit set and at
harvest the retention varies between 3.0-39.6% among the
cultivars.
In litchi, male functional flowers drop after pollen formation. The
heavy fruit drop has been observed at different stages due to the
formation of abscission layer.

47. Control:
Treatment with growth regulators like NAA at 20-30 ppm, GA, at
20-25 ppm, 2,4-D at 10-20 ppm are effective in minimizing fruit
drop when sprayed on panicles, before the flower opening.
It is advised not to do any type of spray at the blooming stage of
the orchard.
Honey bees are the main pollinating agent in litchi. Increasing
bee population in orchards ensures better pollination and
fertilization which increases the fruit set and retention.
Two foliar applications of planofix @ 4 ml/5 litre water may be
done at an interval of 15 days from peanut size fruits.

48. Sun burn and Fruit Cracking
Sunburn and skin cracking are two major physiological disorders
in litchi.
Inadequte moisture during early period of growth result in the
skin becoming hard and sun burnt.
It may crack when it subjected to increased internal pressure as a
result of rapid aril growth following irrigation or rain.
It is also favoured when temperature gose above 38c and relative
humidity less than 60%
Borax or Boric acid @ 2g/l at
the initial stage of aril development
with enough soil moisture in the
root zone

49. Physiological disorders of Perssimmon
Fruit drop
Blossom thinning, and nitrogenous fertilizer applications reduce
fruit drop.
Calyx cavity
It can be a serious problem in persimmon. The symptoms of this
disorder are a sparse space or cavity that occurs directly beneath
the calyx of the fruit.
Control measures include the avoidance of excessive N and K
fertilizers, especially in later spring/summer and close to harvest;
thinning early in the season to enhance calyx growth.

50. Physiological disorders of Loquat
Internal Browning
• Internal flesh browning followed by tissue breakdown is
enhanced by higher temperatures and longer durations of
storage. Elevated CO2 concentrations (>10%) may induce
internal flesh browning and skin brown spotting.
Russeting
• preharvest skin blemish (brown stripes) that may appear on
developing fruit; its severity depends on cultivar, season, and
microclimatic conditions. Severely-affected loquats are
discarded at the time of preparation for market.
• Akko 13 variety (Japan origin) is resistence to russeting

51. Physiological Disorder of
Temperate Fruits.
APPLE

52. Bitter pit
is a disorder that begins in the orchard.
 Small brown lesion of 2-10 mm in diameter develop in the flesh
of the fruit.
 The tissue below the skin become dark and corky.
 Early external symptoms begin as slightly water-soaked spots or
patches, later developing into darker, sunken spots as the tissue
below dies and begins to desiccate.
 Initially small water soaked area become localized area of the
dead tissue unlike then a these corky tissue are never bitter in
taste .the immature picked fruit and large sized fruit in off year
are most affected.

53.  Characterised by small sunken spots on the fruit surface which
are more prevalent near blossom end. Initially small water soaked
areas appear which shrink and turn brown with the loss of water
and ultimately become brown localised area of dead tissue.
 Golden delicious, Yellow Newton these are most susceptible apple
verities.
 It is also caused due to the calcium deficiency, irregular water
supply excessive nitrogen application & early harvesting

54. Causes/Reasons:
 Accumulation of silicon in fruit slein(cuticle).
 Irregular water supply,moisture stress during summer.
 Increased N application
 Picking of immature fruits(large sized-more affected)
 Nutrient imbalance particularly low level of calcium which
impairs the selective permeability of cell membranes leading to
cell injury and necrosis.
 Irregular water supply.
 Early and over thining of fruit increase bitter pit.
 Excessive shedding and heavy pruning as severe dormant
pruning would result in light crop and large fruit.

55. Remedy
 Avoid excess doses of nitrogeneous fertilizers.
 Maintaining moderate tree vigour and smaller fruit size.
 Harvesting mature fruits.
 Calcium spray prior to harvest and calcium dips before storage
control the incidence of bitter pit.
 The plant should be sprayed 45 days prior to harvest followed
by repetition of spray 15 days.
 The post harvest dip for 1-2 minutes should be given before
storage.
 Spray cacl2 @ 0.4 % or 1%

56. Internal Breakdown
 Brownish streaks radiating into flesh from the core
 The skin of affected fruits may be normal,
or dull and dark, and in later stages of the
disorder, becomes cracked.
Control
 CAS with high temperature
 Appearance of disorder less at 10C in cold storage

57. Internal Browning
•It is characterized by brownish streak radiating into flesh from the
core. It is common in variety Yellow Newton. It is controlled by
atmospheric storage with higher temperature can be useful to
control this disorder.
•Appearance of this disorder is less at 1ᵒc at cold storage.

59. Internal browning
• It is charechterized by brownish streaks radiating into flesh
from the core.
• The brown area have well defined margins and may include
dry cavities resulting from desication.
Internal browning

60. Causes:
• Co2 injury to the apple.
• Large and over mature fruits.
Control
• Avoid harvesting over mature fruit.
• Maintain Co2 concentration below 1% in controlled atmoshere
storage and air storage.
• Avid heavy wax coating and throughly and rapidly cool fruit
after waxing and packaging.
• Proper temperature management and good ventilation will
prevent build up of Co2.

61. • Develops during growing season. appearence of small blushed
areas on the skin of the fruit above the affected brown spot
which maybe anywhere in the cortex between the skin and the
core. The affected tissue is much harder than the healthy one.
Reason
• Deficiency of Ca and B are the main causes.
Control
• application of cacl2.

62. Jonthan spot
 It is charechterized by irregular small brown to black spots on the
skin which originates at the lenticels.
 The spots are dark brown to black & forms depressions on
fruits.
Cause
 It is caused due to high level of boron in fruitsmay ca use earlier
maturation and increase incidence of jonathan spot.
 It is common after dry season.
 Dealay cooling and prolonged storage increase incidence
Jonthan spot

63. Control
• Harvesting fruit at optimum maturity.
• Spraying of calcium chloride before harvest decrease the
incidence.
• Storage in controlled atmoshphers of 2.5% to 5.0% carbon
dioxide and 3.0% oxygen controls the onset of jonthan apples.
• spraying with CaCl2 0.5%-0.7% for 2,4,6 weeks before
harvest reduces the incidence. Application of cacl2 @ 0.4-0.7
% Common in cultivar jonathan.
Jonthan spot

64.  The skin of the affected fruit turns brown in patches, especially on
the shaded side, and may become rough.
 Only the surface of the fruit is affected, with the flesh remaining
firm and of eating quality.
 Browning develops rapidly once the fruit is moved from cold
storage to room temperature.
 Browning of epidermis and hypodermal cells of the fruits.
 It is associated with oxidation rodart coming from alpha-fernesene
formed in the waxy coating of the fruit. More α- farnesene is
produced in early sicked fruits which showed more scalding.
❑Granny smith- more susceptable.
❑Crofton – tolerant
Scald

65. • Light motling on greener surface of fruits are initial
symptoms of scald.
• Irregular brown patches of dead skin develop within 3 to 7
days due to warming of the fruit after removal from the cold
storage.
• The warmer temperature do not cause the scald but allow
symptoms to develop from previous injury, which occoured
during cold storage.

66. Causes
The browning of the epidermal and hypodermal cells of the fruit seems to be
associated with an oxidation product coming from ᾳ- farnesene formed in the
waxy coating of the fruit and leading to scald development.
Control:
• spray anti-oxidant Ethaxyavin and diphenylamine. Applied after harvest. •
Application of diphenylamine – 2000 ppm and calcium chloride (2.3%) 2
weeks before harvest.
• Application of an antioxident immediately after harvest.
• Anti oxidant should be applied within one week after harvest for maximum
control.
• Spray of calcium chloride 2-3% two week before harvest is very effective.
• Ventilation in cold storage helps in reducing the scald incidence.
• Gala and fuji are moderatly suceptible.

67. Water Core
• Characterised by water soaked regions in the flesh of the fruit.
Severely affected fruit may smell and taste fermented.
• Increased boron and decreased calcium level in the fruits is
associated with water core.
• It is a post harvest disorder characterized by water soak regions
in the flesh or the fruits
• Affected fruits have dull skin & spongy. Suceptible varieties :
Delicious, Granny smith and fuji.
• Disorder at pre harvest stage results in the development of water
soaked regions in the flesh which are hard, glassy in appearance
and only visible externally.
Water core

68. Causes
• High fruit nitrogen and boron.
• Low fruit calcium.
• Excessive thinning.
• High light exposure.
Control measures:-
 Avoid delayed harvests.
 Fruit lots with moderate to severe water it should not be placed in
contolled atmoshpher storage but should be marketed quickly.
 Spraying of Cacl2 (0.4%).
 Spraying of Zn or B which improves Ca uptake and availability.
 Providing irrigation during summer.
Note: Cultivar like Golden delicious, yellow Newton and
Gravenstein are more suseptible.

69. Core flesh/ Brown core
 Brown core of apple constitutes a major source of waste in
storage with certain cultivars.
 It is also called core browning or core flush. The flush near the
core turns brown ad the seed cavities shows slight
discolouration.
 Later stages the flesh around the core becomes rather
completely brown.
 This is problem associated with low temperature storage (-1
0C to 20C).

70. Hard End:
 Here fruits approaching maturity becomes hard and black
towards the blossom end. This is known as hard end.
 This is attributed mainly to imbalance in the water relationship
between fruits and other parts of plant .
Brown Heart /Pink Calyx(pinkend):
 Premature ripening begins with development of pink
colouration near the blossom end. Consequently resulting into
core break down(brown heart )and softening occurs in affected
fruits which do not ripen properly .
 This disorder caused because of abnormally cool growing
season i.e., night temperature

71. Sunburn
• Initial symptoms are white, or yellow
patch on the fruit exposed to the sun.
injured areas of fruit can turn dark
brown before harvest.
Causes
• Sunburn occour when air temperature
and number of sunny hours are high during the ripening
period.
• Sunburn also occurs when cool or mild weather is follwed by
hot, sunny weather.
• Water stress can increase the sunburn incidence.
Sun burn

72. • The best method is to avoid sudden exposure of fruits to
intense heat and solar radiation.
• Proper tree pruning and training practices should be followed.
• Careful sorting to remove affected fruit upon packing is the
only solution once the injury has occour.

73. Russeting
• Russeting is brown, corky netlike condition on the skin of apples
and leading to rupturing the surface and development of cracks.
Causes
• Frost during flowering.
• High temperature and humidity.
• Excessive nitrogen application.
• Damage from harsh chemicals
and caustic sprays like, use of
pesticides formulations called
emulsifiable concentates is more
likely to result in russeting than
wettable powder.
Russetting

74. Control
• Avoid spraying emulsifiable concentrates.
• Adequate irrigation, manuring and effective pest management
can reduce russeting.
• Prune properly to encourage good air circulation and speed
fast drying after rains.

75. Physiological disorders of Pear
Core break down
A brown, soft breakdown of the core and surrounding tissues.
May develop in storage or soon after transfer to warm
temperatures.
Control
 fruit should be rapidly cooled and stored at the lowest non-
freezing temperature(generally -2 to -1°C, 28 to 30°F).
 Controlled atmosphere storage can extend the postharvest life.
 Market any fruit that begins to yellow.

76. Internal Browning
Internal browning on Asian pears is the main consumer
complaint. This is a worldwide problem.
Symptoms
Development of brown to dark brown water-soaked areas in the
core and/or flesh occur during storage. There is no visible
external indication of internal browning.
Causes
The cause of internal browning is still unknown. Ripening
predisposes the fruit to the disorder while it is in cold storage.
Control
The fruit should be picked when most of the pears on the tree are
still green, although a few at the top may begin to develop some
light-yellow spots. Fruit picked when the skin is completely
yellow will develop internal browning within one month after
harvest.

77. Internal browning in pear

78. Flesh Spot Decay
Symptoms
Partial browning of spots and/or development of cavities in Asian
pear flesh. It appears along and around the vascular bundles when
the symptoms are severe, but there is no external indication of the
disorder.
Causes
The cause of FSD is still unknown. However, climatic factors,
such as a fluctuating hot and cool summer, or high rainfall right
before harvest may enhance the incidence of this disorder.
Control
There is no effective way to control FSD since definite causes
have not been identified. The problem is the inability to predict or
diagnose FSD without cutting the fruit. Further research needs to
be done to determine the causes, variety susceptibility in local
climates, and other control methods

79. Senescent scald
Occurrence
Bartlett pears. Develops on pears which have been stored
beyond their postharvest life.
Symptoms
Brown to black discoloration of the skin associated with fruit
which have become yellow in storage and lost their capacity to
ripen normally.
Control
• Avoid storing the fruit beyond
its postharvest life.
• harvest fruit at optimum maturity
for the length of storage, cool fruit
rapidly and thoroughly after harvest,
and store at the lowest, non-freezing
temperature
(often -1 to -2°C, 28 to 30°F).

80. Premature ripening in pear
• Premature ripening begins with pink coloration near the
blossom end consequently core breakdown and softening
occur in fruit affected fruit which do not ripen properly.
• This disorder is caused abnormally cool growing season
preceding harvest .night temperature lower than 7ᵒc and day
temperature 21ᵒc sufficient to cause premature ripening. As
soon the initial symptom appear fruit should be harvested
normally.

81. Plum, Peach, Apricot
Internal break down
Symptoms
Flesh browning, lack of juiciness
due to leatheriness, red pigment
accumulation & loss of flavor
Control
Use resistant varieties
Use of CA conditions in combination with close to 0oc
Physiological disorders of stone fruits
Internal Breakdown in Plum

82. • Pick fruit "well matured."
• Enforce proper postharvest handling during transport and at
the retailer.
• Keep fruit near 0°C (32°F) during storage and transportation.
Avoid 2-8°C (36-46°F) temperatures during retail handling.
• Educate warehouse and retail handlers on how to reduce IB
incidence and severity.

83. Skin discolorations
Occurence
Peach and nectarine fruits.
Symptoms
Skin discoloration (SD) symptoms appear as brown and black
spots or stripes that are restricted to the skin.
Causes
Abrasion damage in combination with heavy metal
comtamination are required for SD development.
Control
Reduce fruit abrasion damage
Reduce contamination of fruit.

84. Peach: Split pit And Gumming
• Split and Shattered Pits: It is the early ripening peach varieties
such as 'June Gold' and 'Springold' .
• The reason early ripening cultivars are more susceptible to this
disorder is that the pit hardening and final swell phases of fruit
development occur relatively close together in time.
• Pit hardening begins about 40 days after full bloom. During
this phase, the pit gradually loses flexibility and becomes very
rigid while the flesh of the fruit is still tightly adhering to the
pit.

85. • On early ripening varieties, final swell occurs before the
adherence between the pit and the flesh has weakened.
Consequently, the expansion of the fruit flesh creates internal
forces pulling out on the pit.
• If great enough, this force will cause the pit to break in the
weakest spot which is along the suture.
• In later ripening cultivars, these two events (pit hardening and
final swell) are further apart which allows a weakening of the
adherence between the pit and the surrounding flesh cells.

86. Fruit freezing injury
Symptoms
Freezing injury will appear as glassy, "water soaked“ areas in the
flesh. With time these injured areas will dry leaving open "gas
pockets" in the flesh.
The freeze injured tissue of most fruits will begin to brown as
a result of enzymatic oxidation of phenols released by the
injured tissue.

87. Perssimon
Plum

88. A fruit freezes because of prolonged exposure to a temperature
just below its freezing point, the injury pattern should relate to
the pattern of soluble solids content (SSC) of the fruit.
This is because low SSC fruit will freeze at a higher temperature
than high SSC fruit.
Control
Maintain temperatures just above freezing.

89. Scab
Peach Scab Cladosporium carpophilum
• Peach scab is caused by a fungus which can be extremely
damaging to trees throughout the mid-Atlantic region because
of the typically warm, wet weather during the day through the
mid-season period. The disease appears to affect all cultivars
of peach and is known to occur on nectarines and apricots as
well.
• The most notable symptoms of peach scab occur on the fruit,
where small, greenish, circular spots gradually enlarge and
deepen in colour to black as spore production begins (photo 2-
60). Fruit lesions are most common on the shoulders of the
fruit, but can occur anywhere on the surface.

90. Sun scald in Peach
Sunscald cause severe damage by the exposed to higher temperatures
of the trunk and main scaffold branches.
Control
• Shadding of branches considerably reduce the incidence.
• Painting of exposed surface with lime paste and shadding by
wrapping straw around the trunk.

91. Pit burn in Apricot
• Apricot pit burn, also referred to as ‘stone burn’ in apricots, is a
when the flesh surrounding the apricot stone browns and begins
to soften.
• Apricots have soft centers or pit burn due to high temperatures.
If temps reach more than 100 degrees.
• Drought conditions also play a role in what trees may be
afflicted with pit burn.
Resistant varieties
1. Autumn Royal
2. Blenheim Helena
3. Modesto Moorpark
4. Tri Gem
5. Tilton
6. Wenatchee
Physiological disorders of Apricot

92. Physiological disorders of Cherry
• Fruit cracking is serious problem in cherry, which cause 50 to
80 percent losses.
• It is due to differences in the rate of water absorption and
capacity for expansion of the peripheral tissue to accommodate
the increased fruit volume that result when water is absorbed.
• Spray calcium chloride at per 100 liter water or GA3 at 20 ppm
or NAA 10ppm at 25-30 days before harvest checks fruit
cracking.

93. • Fruit drop
• Biennial bearing
• Calyx cavity
• Skin resetting
• Calyx end cracking
• Scijika
Physiological disorders of Persimon

94. Fruit Drop
• It is one of the most important physiological problem which
may related to number of causes like excessive fruit rot, lack
of pollination, water stress, excessive nitrogen application the
first wave of drop occurs in early June but in some varieties
late droop also noted which is equaling to preharvest drop of
apples.
• All fruits drop immediately after the defoliation under ringed
conditions this shows the fruit rot is closely related to nutrient
status of the tree.

95. Calyx Cavity
• It is also serious problem in persimmon the symptoms of this
disorder is a sparse cavity that occurs directly in the calyx of
the fruit this cavity becomes a habitat for the fungal growth.
Some cultivars are susceptible. The incidence of calyx cavity
appears to be less on the trees which have higher crop loads
Control:
• It includes avoidance of excessive nitrogen and phosphorous
fertilizers.
• Thinning early in season to enhance the calyx growth and
optimizing pollination to produce more then three seeds per
fruit.

96. Physiological disorders of Strawberry
Albinism
 Albinism in strawberry is nearly always associated with an
excess of nitrogen fertility.
 Albino fruit of strawberry is a mottled white and is insipid and
tasteless in flavor. Once there is a change in the weather or
throttling down on the quantity of nitrogen, albino fruit
disappear.
 It is due to lack of fruit colour during ripening.
 Fruits remain irregular pink or even totally white and
sometimes swollen. acidic in taste and less firm.
 Albino fruits are often damaged harvesting and susceptible to
botrytis infection and decay during the storage it is probably
caused by certain climatic conditions and extreme condition.

97. • Albinism It is a serious disorder which occurs at the time of
ripening. The fruit appears bloated and develop white or pink
areas on their surface and the pulp remains pale. Such fruits
have poor flavour and are more acidic . Fruits develop
normally but do not ripen uniformly and show waxy
appearance . These are liable to severe damage during
harvesting and become highly susceptible to fruit rot during
storage.

99. Reasons
• Develops due to dense planting.
• Excessive fertilizer application.
• Sandy soil, warm weather, low soil pH, soils with high N, K,
Ca, I.
• Noticed more in polytunnel and mulched with polythene.
• Varietal character.
• Caused due to unfavorable environmental condition.
Control
• Selection of suitable variety.
• Avoiding dense planting.
• Less application of fertilizer.

100. Fasciation
• Flattening and enlargement of stems of fruits and witches
broom appearance of the plant is a major disorder.
• Affected plant produce little marketable fruits and no runners .
The flower bud broadens and in severe cases no fleshy fruit
develops in spring .
• It is a varietal character and also results from insect damage,
disease attack and lack of pollination, humidity and frost.
Control
• Good management.
• Provision of suitable pollinizer

101. Fruit Malformation
• Production of malformed fruits, usually primary and secondary
flowers produce more malformed fruits due to the
underdeveloped achenes at the distal end of the receptacle than
the tertiary and quaternary ones.
Reasons:
• Planting of more vigorous plants.
• High N levels.
• Insufficient pollination.
• Lack of growth promoting substances.
Control:
• Provision of adequate pollinisers (Bee keeping).
• Planting young and less vigourous plants.
• Avoiding excessive application of “N”

102. Phyllody
• Abnormality of flower and fruits caused by Mycoplasma (like
organism) infection .
• Flowers and fruits shows fasciation, gets flattened . Petals
become thick and develop poor colour.
Control:
Uproot and burn the infected plants .

103. Sun scorch
Symptom
• Development of sunken brown lethery scar on
Surface of fruit exposed to sun .
Insipid fruits.
Causes
High solar radiation
Control
Thatching of the branches with hay, paddy straw or dry grasses.
Physiological disorders of Kiwifruit

104. Flats
Symptoms
• Development of flattened fruits.
Causes
• Improper pollination.
Control
• Hand pollination or
• Arrangement of bee hive in garden to effective pollination.

105. Water strain
Symptoms
• Occurrence of dark strains down the side on the fruits.
Causes
• Deposition of tannin which leach out from the dead tissue of
the fruit by rainfall.
Control
• Removal of dead tissue from the plant.
• Removal of blemishes from fruits using mild solution of citric
acid.

106. flesh translucency
• Flesh translucency is freezing damage starting at the stem end
of the fruit and progressing toward the blossom end as the
severity increases.
• Freezing damage can occur on early picked kiwifruit when
stored at temperatures below 0°C (32°F) or when subjected to
an early frost.
Hard-Core
• This disorder is induced by exposure of kiwifruit to ethylene
plus carbon dioxide levels above 8 percent.
• The fruit core fails to ripen when the remainder of the fruit is
soft and ripe.

107. Physiological disorders of Hazalnut
Brown spot in the kernel cavity
BSKC can affect 7 to 97 percent of the total production.
Definate cause of this disorder is not known.
It seems that orchard at high elevation have a lack of accumulated
heat units during the period of kernel development which occour
during end of june- july, which increase disorder incidence.

108. Physiological disorders of Pecan nut
Rosette
This problem is caused by zinc deficiency.
Initial symptoms occur mostly on the branches in the top of the
tree. Leaves are yellowish and mottled. It can be corrected with
foliar spray of zinc sulphate.
Mouse ear
Mouse ear is a growth abnormality from a nickel deficiency in
pecan trees. This disorder occurs mostly on newly transplanted
trees in established orchards.
The most common symptom of mouse ear is a rounded or blunt
leaflet tip. Other symptoms include dwarfing of tree organs
and necrosis of leaflet tips.

109. • Don’t make excessive applications of zinc. Foliar Zn should
only be applied when Zn leaf levels are less than 50 ppm or
when visual Zn deficiency symptoms are present. Do not allow
soil to become acidic.
• Maintain soil pH at 6.5.
• Maintain good soil moisture at budbreak. Ni is relatively low
in the soil in most orchards, and it is absorbed by the tree in
the lowest of many nutrients.
• Monitor leaf and soil samples for availability of Ni to trees.

110. Physiological disorders of Walnut
Oil rancidity
• It is caused due to poor seed storage conditions; elevated
temperature and relative humidity, failure to use controlled
atmosphere and imbalance in oxygen concentration.
• The antioxident protects the oil rich seed from atmospheric
oxygen so preventing rancidity.
• It is essential to store walnut in the dark and to protect them
from oxygen oherwise they become brown coloured and
develops a rancid odour and taste.

111. References
Bose, T. K . (2001). Fruits: tropical and
subtropical volume 1
published by: partha sankar basu NAYA
UDYOG 206,Bidhan Sarani Calcutta-700
006
Dr. Chadha, K. L.(1999). Handbook of
Horticulture.
publishing ICAR, New Delhi
Singh, J.(2002). Basic Horticulture,
Kalyani published new Delhi