`Fuji' is becoming one of the major apple cultivars around the world. However,
poor coloration has been a serious problem in affecting fruit growers' profit from
this cultivar. Various measures have been tried to improve fruit coloration, but
few have been successful. Although ethephon is effective in promoting
anthocyanin synthesis in early cultivars like `McIntosh' and `Delicious' apples
(Edgerton and Blanpied, 1970; Unrath, 1973; Greene et al., 1974), it is not
effective in late cultivars like `Fuji' (Curry, 1994). Fruit bagging improved red
color of apples (Fletcher, 1929; Proctor and Lougheed, 1976; Arakawa, 1988),
but its labor intensive nature limits its application. Therefore, the fruit industry
desires an effective and economic method to improve fruit coloration in this
important cultivar.