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´Fuji´ apples were harvested twice at the early and late stages of maturation, and incidence of low-oxygen injury (LOI) and high-carbon dioxide injury (HCI) was estimated under extreme atmospheric regimens. After harvest, apples were stored for three months in a cold room (0-2 ) and then transferred into different atmospheric regimens; air, standard CA (Std CA: 2.0-3.0% O₂ + 3.0-5.0% CO₂), low oxygen CA (LO CA:0.5-1.0% O₂ + 3.0-5.0% CO₂), and high carbon dioxide CA (HC CA:2.0-3.0% O₂ + 7.5-10.0% CO₂). Transfer of apples from air into CA atmosphere tended to improve storability of apples. However, such delayed Std or LO CA storage did not overcome differences in the firmness at harvest and the CA effects were non-significant. In contrast, decreases in soluble solid content were significantly retarded even by delayed CA storage, especially by LO CA storage. After five-month LO and HC storage following three-month cold storage, high incidence of LOI and HCI was observed. Late-harvested apples were more susceptible to LOI, whereas early-harvested apples were more susceptible to HCI. In late- harvested apples, incidence of LOI was highly correlated with the value of fruit resistance to gas diffusion.
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