Analysis of Factors Causing Fruit Cracking of Blueberry Fruit by Water Absorption and Identifying the Region of Water Uptake

Abstract

To collect necessary data to promote understanding of the mechanism and develop methods to prevent blueberry fruit cracking, we investigated pathways of water absorption and influences of the fruit weight, picking time and maturity on fruit cracking. At the ripe stage, there were significant positive correlations among the fruit weight, fruit cracking rate, amount of water absorption after 24 hours of immersion and water absorption rate. A heavy fruit weight may increase the water absorption rate and total amount of water absorbed, making fruit crack easily. Most immature fruits did not crack, but ripe fruits did crack and the severity was dependent on the picking time and parts of fruit. Regarding water absorption, the amount of water absorption through fruit skin was small relative to that through the fruit-pedicel junction; therefore, the pathway of water causing fruit cracking was suggested to be through the fruit-pedicel junction.