Factors influencing inking in peach

Inking has become a frequent skin disorder on peach fruit orchards over the last decade in?different production areas of the Ebro Valley, the main peach area production of Spain. It is?characterized as discolored brown-and-black spots in the skin. Although inking affects only the?fruit?s cosmetic appearance, the disorder causes economic losses to the peach industry because?blemished fruit are not marketable. According to the literature, abrasion is one of the major?precursors of inking, which release phenolic pigments (anthocyanin, chlorogenic acid, etc.)?located in the skin cells allowing the reaction of these pigments with metal contaminants (iron,?aluminum, etc.). However, we hypothesize that cultivar, different practices on orchard and?harvest management, climatic conditions, fruit quality, and maturity stage could also be?important factors in inking development on peaches, and therefore, in inking susceptibility?(incidence and severity). These factors were evaluated over three seasons (2019-2021). There?were differences among cultivars, although the incidence and severity differed among years.?However, it was interesting to find out that some cultivars showed the same trend over the years.?Grower orchard management also influenced the inking incidence for the same cultivar grown. Other factors such as irrigation dose, harvest method, harvest time, number of harvests and?maturity stage had also some influence in inking development. Further experimental data are?needed to better understand how these factors all together may help to reduce or increase this?skin disorder, since there is still no knowledge to eradicate it SourcesInking on Spanish peach orchards: causes and solutionsGemma Reig,?Sonia Torguet,?Lidia Sans,?Montserrat Sas y?Carlos FaroX International Peach Symposium, 30 May ? 3 June, Naoussa, Greece, https://www.fruitsciences.eu/peach2021/Pictures1 - Gemma Reig, IRTA, explaining factors promoting inking?2 -?Entintado o Decoloraci?n Superficial (Inking)