Abstract
Anthocyanin is the pigment that develops in the skin of apples and produces the red color associated with some apple cultivars. Apples are dependent on light to develop anthocyanins. This is the reason why some apples develop leaf-like shapes in their pigment on the skin; the leaf excludes the light in its shape and the red color pigment doesn’t develop. Apple imprinting is a lightmanipulation technique used to produce an intentional design on the skin of apples. This technique is used in Japan where fruit can be a prized gift, and apples imprinted with special logos can bring a very high price. One orchard in western Canada imprints the logos of two competing hockey teams on apples to increase the value and obtain a considerable return on their investment. Iowa orchardists could create a valuable addition to their marketing strategies if they use apple imprinting techniques. The purpose of this study was to imprint apples with the goal of learning the process in Iowa with local apple cultivars.
Keywords: Horticulture, RFR A9040
How to Cite:
Carpenter, B. H., Nonnecke, G. R., Schroeder, L. R. & Portz, D. N., (2010) “Apple Imprinting”, Iowa State University Research and Demonstration Farms Progress Reports 2009(1).
Downloads:
Download pdf
View PDF