Incidence and type of cracking in sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) are affected by genotype and season

Rain induced fruit cracking in sweet cherries takes 3 distinct forms: stem end cuticular fractures, calyx end cuticular fractures, and large cracks usually deep into the pulp on the cheek of the fruit. A 4-year study of sweet cherry varieties from a commercial orchard in Tasmania, Australia, was conducted to investigate the incidence of crack type and its relative likelihood, as influenced by both genotype and season. Although all 3 crack types developed in the 3-week period before commercial harvest, the extent of cracking was strongly controlled by season. While initial development of cracks coincided with rainfall, no relationship between amount of rain and incidence of cracking was found for crack type. A significant relationship was found between the tangential stress experienced by fruit skin from fruit at harvest maturity and the incidence of cracking recorded in the orchard. No other fruit property (pulp osmotic potential, fruit diameter, weight) explained the differences in incidence of cracking in the field between seasons or varieties. The results suggest that management of cracking needs to consider both varietal and seasonal factors. The development of turgor in maturing fruit also needs further investigation.