1. Rapid soil moisture fluctuation (drought then heavy wetting)
Likelihood: HighFruit tissues expand when they rehydrate quickly after a dry period. Years with extended summer dryness followed by heavy rain or an over-zealous deep irrigation late in the season commonly produce cracking as ripe fruit take up water faster than the rind can stretch.
Identification
- remove_circle_outlineCracks appear suddenly during late summer to fall around ripening.
- remove_circle_outlineMultiple fruit on one branch split after a rain event or a scheduled deep soak.
- remove_circle_outlineTree had visibly dry, sun-browned leaves or dry soil before rain or irrigation.
- remove_circle_outlinefix
