Keeping records for individual orchards, of losses due to rots, and the fungi responsible, when the fruit is being graded from store can provide valuable information on the current problems in the orchard and the ones likely to occur in future. The following procedure is recommended for determining orchard rot history:
- Gloves should be worn when handling rotted fruit as a precaution.
- Where fruit from a single orchard is being graded, save the rots separately in a suitable container. When grading is complete, weigh the total amount of rots and express as a percentage of the total graded fruit to obtain an estimate of losses due to rots. If the number of bins is excessive, then select a random sample of bins as they go over the grader and estimate losses from these.
- Remove at least one hundred of the rots selected at random and identify the cause of the rotting.
- Record the number of each type of rot present and express as a percentage of the total rots. Records of orchard rot history should be kept for each orchard (see below).
In this way a database can be built up for each orchard providing information to assist in decisions on treatment and storage potential.