NOTHING worthwhile ever comes easy.
And so it is for Canadian growers of the Honeycrisp apple.
Fetching nearly eight times the price of regular varieties, they are definitely worthwhile.
Being susceptible to virtually every physiological disorder known, they are not easy to grow.
Canadian apple specialist Dr Robert Prange was a special guest speaker at Apple and Pear Australia Limited's Post Harvest Seminar in Victoria in January.
Dr Prange is best known for discovering the potential of chlorophyll florescence to detect low oxygen stress in fruit in controlled atmospheres.
Although now retired from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, based in Nova Scotia, Dr Prange is fully up to speed on the latest fruit handling techniques.
He spoke on the experience of the Honeycrisp and how the industry is overcoming the challenges of the lucrative but troublesome apple.
Honeycrisp is not a common variety in Australia with just two growers in Australia but his presentation gave insight into the possibilities of adapting growers' thinking.
It was not an inspiring start for the Honeycrisp when a variety trial delivered it to Dr Prange in 1999.
After just six weeks in a cold room they'd perished.
"They were absolutely black, just ruined. So that was my introduction to the Honeycrisp apple," Dr Prange said.
"What are we going to do with this thing? The growers had planted a few hectares and they were going to yank them out."
This led to the eventual development of the Honeycrisp growing program which has several different aspects to regular apple production.
Dr Prange said fruit thinning was important to ensure adequate fruit size. It also improved firmness, colour and minimised the biennial bearing nature of the apple.
It assisted in lessening bitter pit, an internal disorder that can eventually develop on the skin, causing flesh to have a bitter taste.
Allowing the apple to grow too large opened the door to bitter pit, according to Dr Prange's research.
Growers now aim to keep fruit below 250g. The Honeycrisp is an apple which does not enjoy immediate cooling.
His research team found that delayed cooling at 20 degrees Celsius followed by storage at no less than 3.5deg C was the optimum coolroom strategy.
"We would say don't go anywhere with this fruit for six or seven days. Keep them warm for about a week," Dr Prange said.
He said food quality begins with the grower.