We found clear correlations between management measures, tree characteristics and fruit characteristics. This means that growers can regulate apple quality during the growing season. On the basis of the two apple experiments, we can distinguish respective sets of growth and differentiation parameters and evaluate them in the light of conventional fruit cultivation science. Our results have little new value for fruit growing in practice, however. The value of our research lies in the approach developed to draw up a quality concept and the way in which we can apply this concept to crops about which little knowledge exists regarding the relationship between management measures, crop characteristics and product quality characteristics. Our research also offers a method
to validate experimental parameters
