Antioxidant system level in ‘Braeburn’ apple is related to its browning disorder

Many factors related to the occurrence of browning disorder in ‘Braeburn’ apple were investigated, including harvest maturity, cumulative temperature in growing season, and different orchard locations. The incidence of browning disorder was related to the harvest time of fruit and the activity of superoxide dismutase. Superoxide dismutase activity was lower in late harvested ‘Braeburn’ apple fruit that had a higher disorder incidence. The risk of browning disorder was higher after growing seasons with lower cumulative temperature and lower activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in fruit. The fruit harvested from the orchard located in a colder area had lower catalase activity, lower lipid soluble antioxidant levels, and a higher risk of browning disorder.