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摘要

Evaporative cooling leaves unsightly deposits on apples -- but growers can save money by minimizing the problem. No one wants a white, crusty apple -- but that's the problem many Pacific Northwest apple growers may face this summer. Overhead evaporative cooling will be the reason. Evaporative cooling is a popular and effective means of preventing sunburn and improving apple color by directly cooling the leaves, fruit, and orchard air. It also has the undesirable side-effect of leaving mineral and sediment deposits on the fruit. "As the water evaporates, anything that's dissolved in the water will crystallize and be left behind," says Bob Evans, Washington State University (WSU)-Prosser agricultural engineer.