** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** INCIDENCE OF PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDERS AND REDUCED FRUIT QUALITY THROUGHOUT COLD STORAGE ARE MAJOR STAKEHOLDER-IDENTIFIED FACTORS LIMITING PRODUCTION AND MARKETABILITY OF THE PROFITABLE APPLE 'HONEYCRISP' IN THE MID-ATLANTIC. TO AVOID CHILLING INJURY, FRUITS ARE SUBMITTED TO A CONDITIONING TREATMENT PRIOR TO STORAGE. HOWEVER, CONDITIONING EXACERBATES BITTER PIT EXPRESSION. FURTHERMORE, GROWERS DELAY 'HONEYCRISP' HARVEST TO MEET COLOR REQUIREMENTS, BUT OVERRIPE FRUIT HAS AN INCREASED RISK OF DEVELOPING CHILLING INJURY. HENCE, RESULTING IN DRAMATIC YIELD AND ECONOMIC LOSSES. PREHARVEST ETHYLENE REGULATORS ARE A PROMISING TECHNOLOGY FOR REDUCING CHILLING INJURY, WHILE ELIMINATING FRUIT CONDITIONING, AND ALLOWING HARVESTING FRUIT AT OPTIMUM MATURITY. OUR GOAL IS TO DEVELOP AND ESTABLISH A PREHARVEST ETHYLENE REGULATOR TREATMENT FOR DECREASING 'HONEYCRISP' DISORDERS, IMPROVING PHENOLIC AND CARBOHYDRATE CONTENT, WHILE MAINTAINING QUALITY. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ARE TO: 1)DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF PREHARVEST ETHYLENE TREATMENTS ON REDUCING PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDERS AND RIPENING PATTERNS, BY CONDUCTING A LARGE SCREENING STUDY; 2) EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF TWO MOST EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS ON FRUIT DROP, QUALITY, ETHYLENE METABOLISM, PHENOLIC CONTENT AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY; 3) ASSESS THE IMPACT OF THE OPTIMUM TREATMENT ON CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM; 4) EDUCATE STAKEHOLDERS, THROUGH DIVERSE EXTENSION VENUES, ON (A) APPLICABILITY/ EFFECTS OF THE TECHNOLOGY, (B) TOOLS FOR DETERMINING OPTIMUM HARVEST, (C) STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING QUALITY AND REDUCING DISORDERS. WE ANTICIPATE THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE APPLE PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY BY DECREASING LOSSES, IMPROVING MARKETABILITY. IT ADDRESSES THE CRITICAL AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION (CARE) PROGRAM AREA PRIORITY, DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH AFRI PRIORITIES: (A) PLANT HEALTH, PRODUCTION, PLANT PRODUCTS, (C) FOOD SAFETY, NUTRITION, HEALTH.