One thing you must keep in mind, the longer the storage time, the less margin of error that you have in any of the five steps. Harvest at the right time Cool fruit as quickly as possible Get fruit under desired storage conditions as soon as possible Maintain storage conditions as required Do not store fruit too long Harvest at the right time Harvesting at the right time is important because if you harvest too early, the fruit is more susceptible to scald, low temperature breakdown, and shrivel due to loss of water. If you harvest too late, the fruit looses firmness, which is an irreversible process, and is more susceptible to senescent breakdown and rots. Days from bloom. Used with other indices of fruit maturity, this is a simple and convenient method for predicting when fruit will be ready to be harvested.
Apple cultivars have different maturity periods, the time from bloom to harvest.
DAFB index is influenced by environmental conditions and cultural practices thus, it is not a precise index to use. It should be used as an estimate to determine the initial and final harvest dates. This is the leading factor in determining picking dates, especially for McIntosh. Cooler temperatures increase color development in cultivars such as McIntosh and Empire. If all criteria for developing a good crop are in order, then, good color development in McIntosh should be achieved with 3 or 4 night temperatures in the lower 40's.