temperature preceding that period. Blankenship (1987) reported that ‘Red Chief’ apples
exposed to 26 ◦C day temperature during fruit development and ripening showed more red
skin color when held at 11 ◦C than at 22 ◦C night temperature. The present investigation,
in agreement with the previous studies, indicated that, during color formation in 1997, the
cool weather in Maoxian with monthly mean temperature of 18.4 ◦C and monthly mean
daily range of 10.6 ◦C was associated with rapid anthocyanin accumulation in skin of
‘Starkrimson’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ apple, but the warm weather in Ya’an with monthly
mean temperature of 25.0 ◦C and monthly mean daily range of 7.1 ◦C was associated with
slower anthocyanin accumulation (Table 1 and Fig. 1a)