Integrated approach to minimising bitter pit

Summer 2022 | Based on a presentation by Dr Lee Kalcsits, Washington State University | Australian Fruitgrower article

Bitter pit is a major quality disorder in susceptible apple cultivars and cannot be managed effectively by looking at calcium alone. This resource presents an integrated approach based on understanding how cultivar, rootstock, crop load, tree vigour, water relations, mineral balance and fruit growth interact to affect risk.

Dr Lee Kalcsits’ work emphasises that bitter pit susceptibility is influenced by both genetics and orchard environment. Management therefore needs to combine nutrition with practices that moderate excessive vegetative growth, maintain balanced crop loads and avoid conditions that drive uneven calcium distribution within the tree and fruit.

The practical implication is that calcium programs should be treated as one part of a broader strategy. Irrigation, pruning, crop load, rootstock choice and nutrient management all influence final fruit condition and should be considered together when developing a block-specific risk plan.

The article is useful for growers seeking to reduce bitter pit through prevention and risk management rather than relying on a single corrective treatment late in the season.