Evaluation of Fruit Quality Changes in Apple Cultivar Gala, Related to Ripening Stage and Storage Time

In order to study fruit quality changes in apple cultivar Gala, related to ripening stage and storage time, an experiment was conducted in a split plot arrangement in Randomized Complete Block Design with four replicationsin the area of Damavand– Jaban for three years. Five levels of sampling times in storage were assigned to main plots, and three levels of harvesting times were randomized in sub plots. Flowering time was recorded for six selected trees. Fruit was harvested during ripening process, every week, based on the starch index (1-5). The samples were tested for total soluble solids content (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), weight decrease, fruit firmness, flavor and acceptability. Harvested fruits were stored in storage under 0 ± 1°C temperature and 85 ± 5% relative humidity, for five months. The optimal fruit quality was achieved when the fruits harvested in 110 days after full-blooming with 2.0-2.5 starch index.